A manhunt is underway for Ifedayo Adeyeye, a British-Nigerian national who fled the United Kingdom after being mistakenly released from HMP Pentonville. Adeyeye was serving a sentence for the abduction of his young son when a clerical oversight allowed him to walk free, sparking sharp criticism of the British prison system.

The Sequence of Events

The judicial crisis began on April 20, when Adeyeye was handed a 12-month sentence for contempt of court after repeatedly failing to facilitate the return of his son, Laurys, to his mother in France. Adeyeye had previously been jailed for six months in January for the same offense.

However, the court heard on Monday that details of this new sentence were never transmitted to the officers responsible for authorizing releases. Consequently, Adeyeye was discharged the following day, April 21.

A Fatal Three-Day Delay

Despite the gravity of the error, HMP Pentonville reportedly failed to notify the Metropolitan Police immediately. This administrative silence provided Adeyeye with a critical three-day head start. Authorities believe he successfully fled to Spain on April 22, just 24 hours after his accidental release.

Presiding over a hearing on May 1, the judge condemned the “alarming lack of urgency” displayed by prison officials, noting:

"If the police had been contacted immediately, this could... almost certainly perhaps, have been prevented. The public is entitled to expect far better than this."

Background of the Abduction

The case dates back to July 27, 2024, when Adeyeye abducted his son from his mother, Claire N’Djosse, during the child's first-ever overnight stay with his father. Adeyeye then transported the boy from France to Nigeria via the UK, in direct violation of a court order.

The Metropolitan Police issued a statement acknowledging the "traumatic" nature of the situation for Ms. N’Djosse and her son, asserting that they are "pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry" to locate the fugitive.

A Pattern of Systemic Failures

This incident highlights a growing concern regarding UK prison security and administration. Data from the Ministry of Justice reveals a troubling trend:

• 179 inmates were mistakenly released across the UK between April 2025 and March 2026.

• A similar breach occurred in November 2023, involving Ola Abimbola, a convict serving 21 years for kidnapping who walked out of HMP Ford shortly after a transfer.

As international authorities coordinate to track Adeyeye, the British government faces mounting pressure to address the systemic "admin errors" that have allowed high-risk convicts to evade justice.