Keffi, Nasarawa State — In a dramatic turn of events, the Keffi Correctional Centre has once again been thrust into the national spotlight following the daring escape of 14 inmates from the facility. The incident, confirmed by insider sources, has reignited concerns over security lapses in Nigeria’s correctional institutions.
Although details remain sketchy as of press time, a prison source told SaharaReporters on Tuesday, “There has been a jailbreak in Keffi Prison and 14 prisoners escaped.” The statement, terse but chilling, has left many wondering how such a breach could occur in a facility with a history of unrest.
This escape comes almost exactly six years after the prison narrowly averted a full-scale breakout. On August 15, 2019, no fewer than 50 inmates reportedly attempted to overwhelm security operatives, allegedly in protest over “poor feeding” and “lack of medical facilities.” According to past accounts, tensions reached boiling point as inmates claimed their health was deteriorating due to inadequate care.
The 2019 chaos was only quelled after the swift intervention of the Police, the Inspector General’s Special Tactical Squad, and other heavily armed operatives. However, prison authorities at the time denied that any escape attempt had taken place. The then-Controller of the Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Emmanuel Okoro, downplayed the situation, describing it merely as an outburst by inmates angered over the prohibition of cigarette smoking within the prison yard — a ban in line with NCoS regulations.
“I personally visited the facility after the incident,” Okoro said in 2019. “The smokers became aggressive when their demands were not met, but order was restored.”
The latest escape has, however, raised serious questions about security protocols and whether lessons from the 2019 unrest were ever implemented. Inmates vanishing from a correctional facility — particularly one with a recorded history of tension — paints a troubling picture of recurring systemic failures.
Efforts to reach the NCoS Public Relations Officer, Umar Abubakar, for an official statement proved futile, as he neither answered calls nor replied to text messages at the time of this report.
With 14 fugitives now at large, authorities are expected to launch an intensive manhunt in the coming hours. But for residents of Keffi and neighbouring communities, the immediate fear is unsettling: dangerous escapees could already be blending into the population.
PIONEER NEWS 