Seven inmates have escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ilesa, Osun State, following the collapse of the prison fence during heavy rainfall in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to Abubakar Umar, spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the escape occurred around 2 a.m. after the downpour damaged the facility’s perimeter wall. A manhunt for the escapees has since been launched.

The Controller General of the NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and directed the reinforcement of the prison’s security.

“We are working closely with other security agencies and local community leaders to recapture the inmates,” Umar said in a statement. “The NCoS is committed to returning the escapees to lawful custody and preventing future occurrences.”

He urged members of the public to report any useful information that could aid the recapture efforts, providing the NCoS response lines: 07087086005, 09060004598, and 08075050006.

Recurring Security Breaches in Prisons

The Ilesa escape is the latest in a series of jailbreaks across the country. In March, 12 inmates broke out of the Federal Correctional Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, blamed the incident on negligence by correctional officers.

In another major breach last year, 118 inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State. That escape was also linked to heavy rainfall, which led to the collapse of the aging facility’s walls.

Officials have repeatedly cited deteriorating infrastructure as a key factor behind prison security failures.