Police in Yobe have launched a manhunt for a condemned inmate who escaped from Potiskum Prison.
Authorities urged residents to report any sightings as security teams intensify efforts to rearrest him.
The Yobe State Police Command has launched a massive manhunt for a condemned inmate, Abba Hassan, who escaped from the Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Potiskum during the early hours of Friday, October 31, 2025.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the development in a statement released on Saturday, November 1. He identified the fugitive as a native of Maiduguri, Borno State, and said efforts were already underway to locate and rearrest him.
According to Abdulkarim, the escape has prompted a coordinated response among security agencies across Yobe and neighboring states. He urged residents, transport operators, traditional rulers, and vigilante groups to be on alert and report any movement or information that could lead to Hassan’s capture.
“The fugitive, Abba Hassan, escaped from lawful custody at the Potiskum Maximum Security Custodial Centre. Members of the public are advised to stay vigilant and report any sighting or useful information that can assist the police in apprehending him,” the statement read.
The police spokesman also cautioned against confronting the escaped inmate, stressing that such actions could endanger lives. Instead, he encouraged citizens to promptly alert the nearest police station, any correctional service facility, or call the emergency number 08038452982.
Abdulkarim emphasized that the Command and other security agencies were fully mobilized to track down the fugitive. He noted that collaborative efforts with local vigilantes and community intelligence networks had already commenced to tighten security and monitor potential escape routes.
He appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperative as the authorities intensified the search operation. “We are calling on the public to continue to give their usual and maximum cooperation to the security agencies as we work to ensure public safety and the re-arrest of the fleeing inmate,” he added.
The Yobe police have pledged to maintain peace and order in the state, assuring that every necessary measure will be taken to bring the escaped prisoner back into custody.
