Lo The Nigerian Correctional Service has launched a manhunt for a convicted inmate who escaped from custody in Yobe State after a road accident involving a vehicle transporting prisoners along the Potiskum–Damaturu road.
The escaped inmate has been identified as Dahiru Mohammed, a 30-year-old man from Askiwari village in Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State. He was being held at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Potiskum, before the incident.
Mohammed reportedly escaped on April 13, 2026, when the vehicle conveying inmates from the Potiskum custodial centre to Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, was involved in a road traffic accident.
The accident created confusion at the scene as personnel and other individuals reportedly focused on attending to those affected by the crash.
It was during the ensuing situation that Mohammed allegedly took advantage of the confusion and fled from the scene.
The NCoS subsequently declared him wanted and commenced efforts to locate him.
Mohammed reportedly bears the correctional identification number J/1539/24 and was admitted into custody on November 29, 2024.
The circumstances surrounding his escape have raised concerns among security authorities, particularly because he was a convicted inmate and has now been able to leave official custody.
Authorities have described Mohammed as dangerous and have warned members of the public against having any dealings with him.
Residents along the Potiskum–Damaturu corridor and surrounding communities have consequently been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious individual or activity that could help security agencies establish the fugitive’s location.
The warning is particularly important because an escaped inmate may attempt to seek shelter with relatives, acquaintances or other individuals who may be unaware of the circumstances surrounding his escape.
Security authorities have therefore urged anyone with information to immediately report it rather than attempting to confront the fugitive.
The escape also highlights the security risks associated with transporting inmates between correctional facilities and other locations.
Prisoners sometimes have to be moved for court appearances, transfers, medical attention or other official purposes. Such movements require careful planning because inmates are temporarily outside the controlled environment of a custodial centre.
In this case, the road accident reportedly created an unexpected security situation.
The focus of personnel at the scene shifted towards dealing with the crash and attending to those affected, providing Mohammed with an opportunity to flee.
The incident has prompted renewed attention to the procedures used when transporting inmates on public roads.
Security personnel must simultaneously deal with traffic conditions, the safety of the prisoners, the condition of the transport vehicle and unforeseen emergencies.
A road crash can therefore create a particularly difficult situation, especially when officers are required to rescue injured persons while preventing inmates from escaping.
The NCoS has continued efforts to locate Mohammed and return him to custody.
Security agencies in the state are expected to assist with the search, particularly because the escapee could attempt to move away from the immediate area where the accident occurred.
The Potiskum–Damaturu road is an important route connecting major parts of Yobe State, meaning investigators may examine possible movement routes available to the fugitive after he fled the crash scene.
Authorities may also seek information from residents and travellers who were in the area around the time of the accident.
Any credible sighting could potentially assist investigators in establishing the direction in which Mohammed travelled.
The Service has also warned Nigerians against harbouring the fugitive.
Providing shelter, transportation or other assistance to a person wanted by authorities could expose the individual offering such help to legal consequences.
This warning is particularly important because criminals and fugitives can sometimes rely on personal networks to avoid detection.
Authorities are therefore encouraging residents to cooperate with law enforcement rather than attempting to protect or conceal Mohammed.
The case has also renewed questions about the security of correctional transportation in Nigeria.
Correctional authorities have the responsibility of ensuring that inmates remain in lawful custody throughout the period of their transportation.
When an inmate escapes, investigations are normally expected to establish whether the incident resulted entirely from an unexpected circumstance or whether there were additional security lapses.
The circumstances surrounding the road accident will therefore be important to investigators.
Authorities will need to determine how the crash occurred, how security personnel responded and exactly how Mohammed was able to leave the scene.
They may also examine whether anyone assisted him after he escaped.
For the moment, however, the priority is to locate the fugitive.
Residents of Yobe State have been urged to avoid unnecessary panic while remaining alert.
Anyone who believes they have seen Mohammed should not attempt to arrest him independently, particularly because authorities have warned that he could be dangerous.
Instead, information should be passed to the police, correctional authorities or other recognised security agencies.
The incident comes amid broader concerns about security and the ability of authorities to maintain effective custody of inmates across Nigeria.
Correctional facilities are responsible not only for keeping convicted and remanded persons in custody but also for rehabilitation and preparation for eventual reintegration into society.
A successful escape undermines the security aspect of that responsibility and can create additional risks for members of the public.
It also places pressure on correctional authorities to review procedures and prevent similar incidents.
For the Yobe State Command, the immediate task is to ensure that Mohammed is located and returned to custody.
The search may require cooperation between correctional officers, police personnel, local authorities and residents familiar with the communities around Potiskum and Damaturu.
Community cooperation could be particularly valuable because residents may notice movements that would otherwise escape the attention of security patrols.
At the same time, authorities must ensure that information supplied by members of the public is properly verified to prevent innocent people from being wrongly identified as the fugitive.
The case is also a reminder that a seemingly ordinary emergency can quickly become a major security incident.
The road crash involving the prison transport vehicle was initially an emergency requiring attention to those affected.
The subsequent escape, however, transformed the incident into a statewide security concern.
Authorities are now faced with the task of locating a man who was legally in custody before the accident.
As the manhunt continues, security agencies will be expected to intensify surveillance around likely routes and locations where Mohammed could seek refuge.
The fugitive’s personal connections, place of origin and previous movements may also become important to investigators as they attempt to determine where he could have gone after leaving the accident scene.
For residents, the message from authorities is straightforward: remain vigilant, do not engage the fugitive personally, and report credible information immediately.
Mohammed’s escape has placed additional responsibility on communities in Yobe State to cooperate with security agencies while authorities work to bring the situation under control.
The incident also reinforces the need for strong security protocols during the transportation of inmates, particularly when unexpected emergencies such as road accidents occur.
Until Mohammed is recaptured, security agencies are likely to maintain efforts to establish his whereabouts and prevent him from moving further away from the area.
For now, the search remains ongoing, with authorities determined to return the 30-year-old fugitive to lawful custody and establish the full circumstances surrounding his escape.
