BENIN CITY, Edo State — The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Edo State Command, has announced the escape of a 28-year-old awaiting-trial inmate, Osita Thomas, who fled while appearing in court over alleged conspiracy and stealing.
The development was disclosed in a statement dated October 21, 2026, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Aminu Suleman, and made available to journalists in Benin City on Thursday.
According to the statement, Thomas, an inmate of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Auchi, escaped while attending court for his trial.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service, Edo State Command, hereby notifies the general public of the escape of an awaiting trial inmate of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Auchi,” the statement said.
The Command appealed to members of the public to assist security agencies in locating and recapturing the fugitive.
It provided the telephone numbers 08038075882 and 08039243704 for anyone with credible information about his whereabouts, urging members of the public to contact the nearest custodial centre or police station.
The Controller of Corrections in Edo State assured residents that every effort would be made to recapture the escapee, adding that security arrangements for inmates in custody had been strengthened.
Meanwhile, an official of the Correctional Service, who spoke anonymously, attributed the incident to manpower challenges facing the service.
The official explained that the warden responsible for escorting Thomas and other inmates to court could not pursue the fleeing inmate without risking the escape of others under his supervision.
“The warden couldn’t leave other inmates to pursue Osita as he will risk losing others. The dearth of manpower should be addressed now so that this kind of incident does not happen again,” the official said.
The official further claimed that more than 1,000 personnel of the service were expected to retire in 2026, expressing concern over the absence of plans to recruit replacements.
The escape has drawn attention to the security challenges associated with transporting and supervising inmates during court appearances, particularly where staffing levels are inadequate.
The circumstances surrounding Thomas’s escape, including the precise location and security arrangements at the court, were not detailed in the Command’s statement.
Thomas remains an awaiting-trial inmate accused of conspiracy and stealing. The allegations against him have not been established by a court, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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