Inmate Osita Thomas Escapes During Court Appearance in Edo

An awaiting-trial inmate named Osita Thomas, aged 28, escaped from the Nigeria Correctional Centre (NCC) during a court appearance last week. The NCC's Public Relations Officer, Aminu Suleman, confirmed the escape in a statement dated October 21.

Thomas was facing charges of conspiracy and stealing at the time of his escape. He fled while being escorted to court for a scheduled hearing.

A senior NCC official explained that the warden escorting Thomas could not pursue him without leaving other inmates unattended, which could lead to further escapes. The official attributed the incident to a severe shortage of manpower, warning that the situation within the NCC is worsening.

More than 1,000 NCC personnel are expected to retire before the end of the year, and no recruitment exercise has been planned to replace them. This staffing crisis raises serious concerns about the NCC's ability to maintain custody of inmates during court appearances.