British authorities are searching for a Nigerian inmate, Ola Abimbola, who escaped from an open prison in West Sussex nearly a month ago while serving a 21-year sentence for kidnapping and other violent offences.
According to Mail Online, the 36-year-old fugitive walked out of HMP Ford, an open prison, on October 16, 2025, and has not been seen since. Abimbola was convicted of kidnap, grievous bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
The Sussex Police released a CCTV image of Abimbola shortly after his disappearance, appealing to the public for information about his whereabouts. The force said it was working with other law enforcement partners to track him down.
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Abimbola’s escape adds to growing concerns over the security and management of open prisons in the UK. He is the second foreign national currently on the run, following the escape of 24-year-old Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth on October 29 and remains at large.
In a related incident, William “Billy” Smith, 35, another inmate from HMP Wandsworth, was also wrongly freed on Monday but later turned himself in to authorities.
Commenting on the trend, Mark Drury of the Prison Governors’ Association expressed alarm over the “sudden rise” in prisoners absconding from open prisons, warning of an “increased risk to the public.” He attributed the spike to overcrowding pressures that have led to less suitable offenders being transferred to lower-security facilities.
Reacting to the growing scandal, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “angry and frustrated” over what he described as “intolerable” prisoner release failures.
Justice Secretary David Lammy, who has faced parliamentary scrutiny over the issue, explained that the recent wrongful releases occurred before the government’s new checks were implemented. He added that one of the controversial cases was due to a court error rather than a prison mistake.
Meanwhile, the search for Ola Abimbola continues, with police urging anyone with information to come forward as fears mount over the whereabouts of the convicted kidnapper.
