Prisoners Escape Through Watchtower in Nigerian Jailbreak…Catholic Priest Kidnapped in Southeastern Nigeria…Nigeria Tightens Gold Mining Rules in Zamfara to Curb Banditry…Nigerian Air Force Continues Relentless Assault on Insurgents
- Prison Break in Nigeria: Five Recaptured, Seven on the Run
A prison break at a medium-security facility in Koton Karfe, Kogi State, Nigeria, has left authorities racing to recapture seven escaped inmates.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), which oversees the country’s prisons, confirmed the early Monday morning escape in a Facebook post.
“During the unfortunate incident, some inmates in a section of the facility manipulated the padlocks, leading to the escape of 12 inmates,” agency spokesman Abubakar Umar said. He added that five have already been recaptured.
Authorities suspect the prisoners escaped through the watchtower without causing structural damage, raising concerns about possible internal sabotage. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo ordered a “comprehensive audit” to assess the situation.
- Gunmen Kidnap Nigerian Priest Hours After Another Cleric’s Rescue
Gunmen abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. John Ubaechu, on Sunday evening in Imo State, southeastern Nigeria.
Ubaechu, the parish priest of Holy Family Catholic Church in Izombe, was on his way to an annual retreat when he was taken, according to Rev. Patrick Mbarah, chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.
“He (Ubaechu) was kidnapped on his way to the priests’ annual retreat,” Mbarah said in a Monday statement, cited by Premium Times. He urged Nigerians to pray for his safe return.
The Imo State Police confirmed the abduction, with spokesman Henry Okoye stating that an investigation was underway. “An intelligence-driven operation is also underway to facilitate the possible rescue of the Catholic priest,” he said.
This latest kidnapping comes just hours after police in neighboring Anambra State rescued another Catholic priest, Rev. Stephen Echezona from captivity, underscoring rising insecurity in the region.
- Nigeria Develops New Gold Mining Guidelines to Curb Insecurity in Zamfara
The government of Nigeria has introduced new guidelines for gold mining in Zamfara State, the country’s gold spot, as part of efforts to curb insecurity linked to illegal mining, reports TheCable.
Since lifting a five-year mining ban in December 2024, authorities have intensified a crackdown on illegal mining, uncovering 457 illegal mining sites and recovering 98. Security forces have arrested 327 illegal miners, with 142 cases in court and four convictions secured.
Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, stressed that the new regulations would ensure that “legitimately licensed operators in Zamfara will operate unfettered.” “There will be no banditry, such nefarious activities preventing legally licensed operators from carrying out their operations,” he added.
Mining marshals are conducting road checkpoints to prevent smuggling. With gold prices exceeding $3,000 per ounce, Nigeria is tightening controls to boost revenue while preventing mining from fueling armed violence in the State.
- Nigerian Air Force Destroys Terrorist Convoy in Precision Airstrikes
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) launched a major airstrike over the weekend, targeting a terrorist stronghold in the Timbuktu Triangle, a remote forested area in northeastern Nigeria that has served as a key hideout for Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated militants. The strike was part of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’, Nigeria’s ongoing military campaign to eliminate insurgents in the region.
Acting on intelligence reports, the NAF identified three gun trucks transporting terrorists near the village of Chiralia. “Upon arrival at the target location, NAF pilots identified multiple terrorists and their three gun trucks concealed under trees,” said Group Captain Kabiru Ali in a press statement shared by Zagazola Makama.
Using rockets and cannons, the NAF struck the vehicles, setting them ablaze. As militants tried to reposition a truck, a follow-up strike wiped it out. “Scores of terrorists attempting to flee were neutralized in the aftermath,” Ali added.
Authorities emphasized commitment to “ensuring that insurgents find no safe haven” in northeastern Nigeria.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
