The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has published more names and photographs of inmates who escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State.
Recall that the escape occurred on April 24 when heavy rainfall destroyed the prison walls, leading to the breakout of 118 inmates.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, attributed the incident to the old and weakened state of the facility’s walls and assured that the federal government would take measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
On June 6, NCoS spokesperson, Abubakar Umar announced that 23 of the escapees had been recaptured. Subsequently, on June 15, the NCoS published the names of 18 remaining fugitives on its website.
These inmates are Ogbonna Kingsley, Auwal Mohammed, Mustapha Ibrahim, Suleiman Sani, Raphael Kelly, Abdullahi Babangida, Idris Bashir, Umar Mustapha, Ayuba Obedience, Lamido Gambo, Garba Fidelis, Mohammed Jibrin, Sylvester Allison, Albert Israel, Edoga Okwudili, Olaiya Stephen, Ibrahim Aminu, and Audu Usman.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Abubakar Umar released the names and pictures of 13 still missing escapees.
This brings the total number of publicly identified fugitives to 31, including those previously listed.
The new set of escapees listed includes Tasiu Mohammed, Philip Ola, Mohammed Lawal, Buba Bello, Biyo Flamingo, Onyedikachi Emeka, Augustine Uden, Gambo Lamido, Sani Muhajid, Abubakar Hashiru, Haruna Salisu, Solomon Gkwangurum, and Aliyu Ismaila.
The NCoS spokesperson said the service has implemented “overt and covert” strategies to ensure the recapture of the escapees.
“The information of the fugitives is hereby published for sister security agencies as well as the general public to look out for them in an attempt to recapture them and bring them back to the facility,” he said.
”The NCoS has provided several contact options for the public to report sightings of the escapees,
the statement said.
”The NCoS urges anyone with information on the whereabouts of the fugitives to promptly contact the nearest security agent or agency.”
