Date 7 September 2010 Attack type Prison break Non-fatal injuries 6 | Target Bauchi prison Deaths 5 | |
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Location Bauchi State, northern Nigeria | ||
The Bauchi prison break was an attack on Bauchi prison in the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi by 50 gunmen. The attack occurred on 7 September 2010. The gunmen were suspected to be members of Boko Haram. 721 prisoners escaped the prison.
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Background
Due to Nigeria being split between the Christian south and Muslim north, tensions have built between the two groups. There has been sectarian violence since 1999. The prisoners were largely awaiting trial for sectarian violence in the country in 2009. The group who conducted the prison raid, Boko Haram, was involved in the sectarian violence in 2009. The group opposes non-Islamic education in Nigeria.
The attack came on the same day that the 2011 presidential election was announced.
Incident
Olusola Ogundipe, the comptroller general of the Nigerian Prisons Services, said that of the 759 inmates, 721 prisoners were freed. including 150 members of the Islamist group. Over thirty prisoners returned to the prison to serve out their short sentences. Additionally thirty-five prisoners have been re-arrested. Parts of the jail were set on fire and five people were killed; a further six people were sent to a local hospital.
Reaction
The state governor, Isa Yuguda, announced on 8 September 2010 that members of Boko Haram should leave the state or be flushed out forcefully. The city is currently calm with soldiers manning checkpoints on the major roads. According to state police commissioner, Danlami Yar'Adua, eleven suspected members of Boko Haram have been arrested. According to the Nigerian government, security would also be tightened at other jails, especially those thought to be vulnerable to attack. The minister for the interior, Emmanuel Ihenacho, stated that the "[Nigerian people's] safety and security remain paramount to us."