Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Tony Obina, a Nigerian national recently convicted in a major Liberian cocaine trafficking case, has been recaptured after escaping from the Kakata Central Prison in Margibi County during a mass jailbreak, according to a statement from Liberia's Ministry of Justice issued on Sunday, September 20, 2026.
The dramatic sequence of events began on Sunday when a number of inmates broke out of the correctional facility. The Ministry of Justice confirmed the jailbreak in a statement, saying it had informed the public that "a jailbreak has occurred at the Kakata Central Prison in Margibi County, resulting in the escape of a number of inmates from the facility". Preliminary reports indicated that more than 50 inmates may have escaped during the incident, according to Liberian newspaper The New Dawn.
Obina was among those who fled. A video shared online by West Trybe News Media showed him being escorted back to the prison wearing only a pair of blue boxers after local residents reportedly apprehended him and another escapee. The footage, which circulated widely on social media, captured the humiliating end to his brief flight from justice.
The Ministry of Justice said Liberia's Joint Security had been alerted and launched an operation to locate and recapture the escapees. "Currently, Security personnel are actively searching for and pursuing the escaped inmates," the ministry stated. The Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation was also directed to verify its records to determine the exact number and identities of the inmates who fled. "The Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation is completing the verification and reconciliation of the prison records to establish the full details surrounding the jailbreak and escape, including the confirmed number and identities of the inmates involved," the ministry added.
The ministry urged residents to remain vigilant and report information about the whereabouts of any escaped inmate to the police or other security authorities. However, it cautioned members of the public against attempting to arrest or shelter the escapees. "Members of the public are advised not to attempt to apprehend any of the escapees themselves or harbour them," it warned. The ministry said it would release the names and other identifying details of the escapees after the verification exercise to help security agencies and members of the public locate them.
Obina's recapture marks the latest chapter in a case that has drawn significant attention in both Liberia and Nigeria. He was recently convicted by a 12-member jury at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Margibi County in a major drug-trafficking case. He was convicted alongside two senior officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Joe Logan and Lovette Flowers.
The case involved drugs reportedly valued at about US$181,008 and more than L$63.2 million. According to court records, the drugs were intercepted in July 2025 from Quita Dolo Kosso, who reportedly arrived at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Thailand.
During the month-long trial, prosecutors presented four witnesses who they said directly connected the three defendants to the drug-trafficking operation. The prosecution alleged that 14 plates of cocaine were seized from the group. They claimed that Logan and Flowers removed four of the plates and later sold them on the illegal market. The state further alleged that some LDEA officers received a US$10,000 bribe from members of the drug-trafficking network to interfere with the investigation.
Two other accused persons, Quita Dolo Kosso and LDEA officer Abdullah Sherrif, admitted their involvement and were subsequently sentenced to five and two years in prison, respectively. Prosecutors urged the jury to convict the defendants, arguing that LDEA officers are trained to detect and combat drug crimes and should never participate in such activities. They said a guilty verdict would discourage other law-enforcement officers from becoming involved in drug trafficking.
Defense lawyers, however, maintained that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. They asked the jury to acquit the defendants, arguing that inconsistencies in the prosecution's evidence created reasonable doubt. The defense specifically challenged the number of cocaine plates involved, noting that the investigation initially established that 10 plates were seized, while prosecutors later claimed that 14 plates were involved. They argued that the difference represented a major contradiction that should have favoured the defendants. The jury disagreed and returned a guilty verdict for all three defendants.
Obina's recapture has brought a measure of relief to Liberian authorities, who had launched a manhunt following the jailbreak. The escape and subsequent recapture have also raised serious questions about security at the Kakata Central Prison and the broader corrections system in Liberia. The fact that more than 50 inmates may have escaped from a single facility in a single incident suggests significant vulnerabilities in the prison's security architecture. The Ministry of Justice has not yet disclosed how the jailbreak occurred or whether any prison officials are being investigated for complicity.
For Nigerian authorities, the case serves as a reminder of the transnational nature of drug trafficking networks operating across West Africa. Obina's conviction in Liberia, alongside two Liberian law enforcement officers, underscores the depth of corruption and criminality that has infiltrated institutions tasked with combating the drug trade. The involvement of LDEA officers in the trafficking operation, as alleged by prosecutors, represents a particularly troubling dimension of the case.
Obina now faces the prospect of returning to prison to serve his sentence, though the length of that sentence has not been publicly disclosed. The Liberian Ministry of Justice said the Joint Security would provide further updates as the search and recapture operation continued. For now, the man who fled into the Liberian darkness in his underwear is back behind bars, his brief taste of freedom ended by the vigilance of community members and the swift response of security forces.
The case has also drawn attention to the broader challenges facing Liberia's criminal justice system, including prison overcrowding, inadequate security infrastructure, and the pervasive influence of drug trafficking networks. As Liberian authorities continue to investigate the jailbreak and pursue other escapees, the focus will remain on ensuring that those convicted of serious crimes do not slip through the cracks of a system struggling to contain them.
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