Kogi prison escape triggers a police manhunt after two convicted inmates fled Okene Correctional Centre, prompting a joint security operation

The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed that two convicted inmates escaped from Okene Correctional Centre in Kogi State at approximately 10.30am on Sunday, November 8, 2026, prompting a joint manhunt involving the police, Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies.

The development was confirmed on Tuesday by the police command’s spokesperson, Saliu Afusat, who told TheCable that the command had received an official report from the correctional facility.

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Afusat said security agencies were working together to ensure the prompt rearrest of the two escapees.

According to the police spokesperson, the command was collaborating with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and other relevant security organisations as efforts intensified to locate the missing inmates.

The escape has raised concerns about security arrangements at the correctional facility and the circumstances that allowed two convicted inmates to leave custody.

However, details surrounding how the inmates escaped, their identities, the offences for which they were convicted and the security measures in place at the time had not been disclosed in the available police statement.

The police have also not provided information about whether anyone has been arrested or disciplined in connection with the incident.

The Nigerian Correctional Service is responsible for the custody, rehabilitation and reintegration of convicted offenders and other persons held in correctional facilities across the country.

Incidents involving escapes from correctional centres often require coordinated responses between correctional authorities and security agencies to prevent further breaches of public safety and ensure that escapees are returned to lawful custody.

For now, the Kogi State Police Command says its priority is to locate and recapture the two inmates.

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Further details are expected as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the escape continue.