Niger’s military reported that following a mutiny at Koutoukale prison near Niamey on July 11, “a large number” of inmates, including terrorist insurgents, escaped.
The prison houses militants who have targeted Niger and its neighbouring countries for years.
The military swiftly mobilised and managed to recapture many of the escapees, though exact numbers were not disclosed.
Three of the fleeing inmates, described as armed terrorists, were killed during the pursuit, army officials disclosed. Searches continue for the remaining escapees in the densely populated area around the Niger River.
The incident prompted authorities to impose a curfew as efforts to apprehend the fugitives intensified.
Koutoukale prison, located in Niger’s Tillaberi region near the volatile border shared with Mali and Burkina Faso, remains a critical security concern due to frequent attacks by rebel groups affiliated with ISIL and al-Qaeda.
Niger is currently governed by a military junta that seized power in a July 2023 coup, citing deteriorating security conditions as justification. In a separate security incident on July 13, Niger’s military reported that six soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack in the nearby Tahoua region.