Timeline: The many jailbreaks under Buhari’s watch

The July 5 attack on Kuje Prison in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja is just the latest of the series of jailbreaks that have happened under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch.

According to report by Cable, thousands of inmates have escaped from different prisons across the country since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power in 2015.

In October 2017, two inmates Lucky Sama and Balogun Idiom Joseph escaped the Enugu maximum security prison through the ceiling of a catholic church located in the centre.

In December 2017, thirty-six prisoners escaped from the Ikot Ekpene Prison in Akwa Ibom state in a well-coordinated operation by the inmates.

The inmates attacked the kitchen staff that were on duty and broke loose. The incident led to the death of four other inmates.

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Months later, precisely on June 3, 2018, gunmen attacked Minna medium security prison, Niger state, killing an official and a commercial motorcyclist.

The attack resulted in the escape of 210 inmates from the facility.

In October 2019, about 122 inmates fled the Koton Karfe correctional centre in Kogi after a section of the facility was overrun by flood following a downpour in the town.

However, the service said 25 of the fleeing inmates were recaptured.

Same October, about 1,993 inmates escaped from custody in the jailbreaks that happened in Benin and Oko, Edo state.

The Nigerian Correctional Service said the inmates were convicted criminals serving terms for various criminal offences and awaiting execution or standing trial for violent crimes.

Exactly a year after, October 22, 2020 during the EndSARS protest, hoodlums broke into the Okitipupa correctional centre, Ondo state, and set 58 prisoners free.

In Owerri in April 2021, 1,844 inmates escaped after gunmen attacked the Correctional Centre. The correctional centre and the police command headquarters in Owerri were attacked consecutively.

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The police had alleged that the invasion was carried out by the Eastern Security Network, an outfit of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

It was the turn of Jos Custodial Centre, Plateau state in July, 2021 four suspects, who were awaiting trial over kidnapping and armed robbery, escaped the Jos custodial centre.

Samuel Aguda, the controller-in-charge of the command, blamed the incident on the negligence of the personnel on duty.

Two months after, September 13, 2021, two security operatives were killed in an attack by gunmen on Kabba Correctional Centre in Kogi state.

The gunmen were said to have attacked a military checkpoint located a few metres away from the centre before helping 240 inmates escape incarceration.

However, Sesan Nihi, Kogi correctional service spokesman, said 114 of the escaped inmates were re-arrested.

Same year in October, gunmen with sophisticated weapons attacked the Abolongo custodial centre in Oyo state.

According to Olarenwaju Anjorin, the spokesperson of the NCS, gunmen with sophisticated weapons attacked the Abolongo custodial centre in the state.

The attack resulted in the escape of 837 inmates. A few days after the incident, Anjorin said 262 inmates were recaptured, while 575 were at large.

About 262 inmates escaped the Jos correctional centre, Plateau state in November 2021 after gunmen invaded the facility.

In January, 2022, three inmates escaped from the Mandala prison, Ilorin, Kwara state, a few months later in May after heavy downpour which resulted in the fall of the northern perimeter wall of the Agbor prison, Delta state, three inmates took to their heels and escaped the prison.

The Kuje prison attack in the heart of the nation’s capital and seat of power is the latest and seems to be the most daring of the attacks on the nation’s prisons.