A convicted inmate has escaped from custody in Yobe State after the vehicle transporting him between correctional facilities was involved in a road accident — the latest in a pattern of prison breaks that has become a deepening security challenge across Nigeria.
The Nigerian Correctional Service in Yobe State declared Dahiru Mohammed, 30, wanted on Wednesday after he fled the crash scene on April 13 while being transported from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Potiskum to Damaturu. Mohammed, of Askiwari village via Tarmuwa, bears prison number J/1539/24 and had been in custody since November 29, 2024.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Adamu, confirmed the escape in an official notice, describing Mohammed as dangerous and warning the public against any direct contact with him.
The escape adds to a grim national record.
TOPHEADLINES gathered that over 7,000 prisoners have escaped from Nigerian facilities since 2010, and the trend has shown little sign of abating.
Since 2020 alone, more than 5,000 inmates have escaped during various prison breaks across the country.
A European Union report published in November 2025 documented a decade-long pattern of prison escapes across Nigeria, citing persistent security lapses, overcrowding, structural deficiencies, and chronic underfunding as major contributors.
The report noted that thousands of inmates escaped from 13 custodial facilities between 2019 and 2025, including many awaiting trial for serious offences such as terrorism and armed robbery.
The systemic nature of the problem is further underscored by the state of the facilities themselves. Nigeria’s more than 240 prisons currently house over 80,000 inmates, with two-thirds awaiting trial.
Out of a total 77,800 inmates across 240 prisons, only 26,898 have actually been convicted of a crime — meaning the vast majority of those held are unconvicted detainees, a situation that compounds congestion and strains already overstretched security arrangements.
The Yobe escape is particularly concerning because it occurred not within a facility but during a transfer operation — an area experts say receives insufficient attention in Nigeria’s correctional security framework.
Critics point out that the recurring pattern of jailbreaks reflects a systemic problem related to how jails are managed in Nigeria, with calls for greater inter-agency intelligence sharing and investment in rehabilitation infrastructure.
The Yobe command has warned that sheltering Mohammed constitutes a criminal offence punishable under Nigerian law. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest police station or correctional facility.
Emergency lines include 07038397460, 07063348987, the MSCC Potiskum Duty Office on 08062211873, and the Yobe State Command headquarters on 08038452982.
Efforts to recapture Mohammed are ongoing.