Floods in Northeast Nigeria Leads to Mass Inmate Escape

On September 10, a dam collapse in Borno State triggered devastating floods, resulting in 281 inmates escaping from a prison in Maiduguri, VOA reported today.

The floods, which have left 30 people dead and over a million displaced, caused significant damage to the Medium Security Custodial Centre and staff quarters. Umar Abubakar, spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Services, confirmed that security personnel have recaptured seven inmates, with ongoing efforts to locate the remaining escapees.

This incident marks one of the worst flooding events in the region since a similar dam collapse 30 years ago. The U.N. reports that West Africa has seen severe flooding this year, impacting over 2.3 million people, a threefold increase from 2023.