Devastating floods collapsed walls at a jail in Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria early last week, allowing 281 prisoners to escape, prison authorities said on Sunday.

Video shows how one of the walls of the prison compound was destroyed The Nigerian authorities say more than 270 inmates are now known to be missing after escaping from custody when severe flooding damaged a prison in the north-eastern city of.

At least 274 inmates have escaped from a prison in Nigeria’s Borno state following heavy flooding, the Nigerian Correctional Service said Sunday.

At least 274 inmates have escaped from a prison in Nigeria's Borno state following heavy flooding, the Nigerian Correctional Service said, as aid agencies reported more than 1,000 people had died across western and central Africa.