Groups of protesters approached the penitentiary, triggering unrest inside and prompting inmates to knock down a wall and flee.

Dozens of prisoners killed during jailbreak as Christmas Day riots grip Mozambique - Civil unrest over disputed presidential election result continues

Adriano Nuvunga, director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Mozambique, wrote on X Wednesday: “Over 2,500 detainees have escaped from high-security prisons, including Maputo Central Prison. This shocking incident raises urgent questions about the state of security and the justice system in Mozambique,''