For a Nigerian drug dealer serving time in Liberia, freedom reportedly lasted only briefly.
Tony Obina, an inmate at the Kakata Central Prison in Margibi County, Liberia, has reportedly been recaptured after escaping from the facility during a jailbreak that sent security agencies scrambling across the area.
Obina was among a number of inmates who fled the correctional facility on Sunday, September 20, after a prison break was confirmed by Liberia’s Ministry of Justice.
A video circulated by West Trybe News Media showed Obina and another man being escorted back to the prison after they were reportedly apprehended by local residents.
In the footage, Obina appeared to be wearing only blue underwear as he was taken back into custody.
The dramatic recapture came as Liberia’s security agencies intensified efforts to track down inmates who escaped from the prison.
Liberia Launches Manhunt
The Ministry of Justice, in a statement issued on Sunday, confirmed that a jailbreak had occurred at the Kakata Central Prison.
According to the ministry, a number of inmates escaped from the facility, prompting Liberia’s Joint Security to immediately launch a search operation.
The Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation was also instructed to reconcile its records to establish exactly how many prisoners escaped and determine their identities.
The ministry said the names and identifying details of the escapees would be released after the verification process, with the information expected to assist security agencies and members of the public in locating those still at large.
Residents were urged to remain vigilant and report any information about escaped inmates to the police or other security authorities.
At the same time, authorities warned residents against taking the law into their own hands.
The public was specifically advised not to attempt to capture escapees or provide them with shelter.
From Drug Conviction to Prison Escape
Obina’s reported escape adds another chapter to a major drug-trafficking case that had already attracted attention in Liberia.
He was recently convicted by a 12-member jury at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Margibi County.
Two officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Joe Logan and Lovette Flowers, were also convicted in connection with the case.
The prosecution involved narcotics reportedly valued at approximately US$181,008 alongside more than L$63.2 million.
Obina was subsequently held at the Kakata Central Prison, where his stay was interrupted by Sunday’s jailbreak.
A Short-Lived Escape
Details surrounding how the inmates broke out of the correctional facility remained unclear as security authorities continued their investigation.
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But reports said Obina and another escapee were apprehended by community members and security personnel while allegedly trying to make their way away from the area.
The reported speed of Obina’s recapture stands in sharp contrast to the initial uncertainty surrounding the jailbreak, as authorities raced to establish who had escaped and where they might have gone.
For Liberia’s security agencies, however, the operation was not over.
The Ministry of Justice said the Joint Security would continue its search for the remaining escapees and provide further updates as the operation progressed.
What began as a prison break had therefore quickly turned into a wider manhunt — with authorities relying not only on security personnel, but also on the vigilance of communities across Margibi County.