Sixteen inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after breaching the facility’s security and overpowering prison staff.

According to a statement by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, the inmates launched a coordinated attack on duty personnel, leading to the breakout. Five officers were injured in the process, with two currently in serious condition and receiving treatment at a government hospital.

Abubakar confirmed that seven of the escaped inmates have already been recaptured, while a manhunt is underway to track down the remaining nine.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the general public of an incident… where some inmates breached the security of the facility and attacked personnel on duty, enabling 16 inmates to escape custody,” the statement read in part.

Following the incident, the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, visited the Keffi facility and ordered a thorough investigation. He warned that any staff found complicit in the escape would face disciplinary action.

Nwakuche also directed immediate efforts to recapture the fleeing inmates, in collaboration with other security agencies.

The public has been urged to remain calm and vigilant and to report any suspicious movements or sightings of the escapees to the nearest security post.

The NCoS reassured citizens of its continued commitment to public safety and the integrity of custodial facilities across the country.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has clarified its involvement in two recent incidents involving unruly passengers, stating that it was not the regulatory body but Ibom Air that initiated legal action against passenger Ms. Comfort Emmanson.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, explained that the authority steps in only when necessary and within the limits of its mandate.

Addressing the case of Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate or Kwam 1, Achimugu noted that the airline involved in that incident chose not to pursue legal action. As a result, he said, the NCAA petitioned relevant authorities to prosecute the passenger and issued an advisory to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) recommending a ban.

“In K1’s case, the airline did not activate its right to take the passenger to court. Therefore, NCAA stepped in and petitioned for prosecution, while advising the AON to ban the individual from flying,” Achimugu said.

However, in the more recent incident involving Emmanson, who allegedly assaulted an Ibom Air staff member during a flight, the airline immediately initiated legal proceedings.

“Perhaps because their staff was assaulted, Ibom Air acted swiftly and took the case to court themselves. NCAA has no role in that case,” he clarified.

Achimugu said both incidents point to rising tensions within the aviation environment, stating, “The system is being tested, and there’s enough blame to go around—FAAN, AVSEC, cabin crew, and passengers alike.”

He reiterated the global stance against unruly behavior aboard aircraft and stressed the importance of passengers complying with cabin crew instructions for safety reasons.

Achimugu also revealed that during the confrontation involving Emmanson, other passengers reportedly seized and turned off her phone.

Meanwhile, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has imposed a lifetime no-fly ban on Emmanson across all member airlines. The ban was announced on Monday in a statement issued by AON spokesperson, Obiora Okonkwo, who warned that similar acts of misconduct would attract the same penalty.

The incident occurred aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to Lagos.

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two men found in possession of three human skulls in the Ijebu area of the state.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, made the announcement in a statement released in Abeokuta, the state capital.

According to Odutola, the arrests resulted from a routine stop-and-search operation carried out by officers of the 71 PMF Awa Ijebu unit along the Ijebu Ode/Ibadan Expressway near Refugees Camp Junction, Oru Ijebu, at approximately 2:00 p.m. on August 11, 2025.

“During the operation, officers stopped and searched a motorcycle rider, Kadir Owolabi. The search of his luggage led to the startling discovery of three human skulls,” she said.

A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of a second suspect, 53-year-old Jamiu Yisa, who was apprehended behind the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat.

Commissioner of Police Lanre Ogunlowo has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to take over the case for a comprehensive investigation.