A catastrophic flood event in Nigeria’s Borno state has destroyed the walls of a prison, allowing at least 274 inmates to escape. The Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed that seven escapees have since been recaptured, leaving 267 inmates still at large.

The flood, which has caused widespread destruction and displacement across Nigeria, brought down the walls of the Medium Security Custodial Center Maiduguri (MSCC) and adjacent staff quarters. The Nigerian Correctional Service has released the identities and biometric data of the escaped inmates to aid in their recapture.

The disaster has claimed 229 lives and displaced over 386,000 people, with northern Nigeria bearing the brunt of the impact. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency had warned of rising water levels in the Niger River, urging states to be vigilant.

Climate change projections indicate an increase in extreme rainfall events across Africa, including Nigeria. The recent floods have also caused chaos elsewhere, with an overflowing dam in northern Nigeria sweeping animals from a zoo into nearby communities.