Flood in Borno State: 281 Inmates Missing After Correctional Facility Collapse

A devastating flood in Maiduguri, Borno State, has brought down the walls of the medium security custodial centre Maiduguri (MSCC) and staff quarters, leaving 281 inmates unaccounted for. The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed the missing inmates after evacuating them to a safe and secure facility with the support of sister security agencies.

The flood, which has claimed at least 37 lives and displaced about half a million people, caused significant damage to the correctional facility, allowing scores of inmates to escape. However, the NCoS has released an ambiguous statement, asking the public to ignore reports of the escape and stating that the evacuation was only a precautionary measure to ensure public safety.

Abubakar Umar, the NCoS spokesperson, said in a statement that the service is working in synergy with other security agencies to track down the missing inmates, who have been identified through their biometrics. So far, seven inmates have been recaptured and returned to custody, while efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining missing inmates.

The public has been assured that the incident does not pose a threat to public safety. The NCoS has made available the details of the missing inmates, including their biometrics, to the public.

The flood in Maiduguri is just the latest in a series of devastating natural disasters to hit Nigeria in recent months, highlighting the need for effective disaster preparedness and response measures.