Kakata Central Prison jailbreak triggers manhunt in Liberia

A mass jailbreak occurred at the Kakata Central Prison in Margibi County, Liberia, on September 20, 2026. Reports indicate that between 79 and over 100 inmates escaped the facility by breaking through prison walls and scaling the barbed-wire perimeter fence.

The Liberian Ministry of Justice confirmed the incident and stated that the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation is verifying records to establish the exact number and identities of the escapees. The Joint Security of Liberia and the Liberian National Police are currently conducting search-and-recapture operations across Kakata and surrounding communities.

The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia issued a security alert advising travelers to exercise increased caution in Margibi County and to avoid the immediate vicinity of the correctional facility. The civil society organization Sawabenu has criticized the incident, linking the jailbreak to systemic failures and prison overcrowding within the Liberian justice system.