The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, says over 600 of the inmates fled the prisons when it came under attack late Tuesday night.

Belgore stated that those behind the attack were Boko Haram terrorists who came specifically for their members held in the custody.

He, however, said about 300 had been recaptured, while 300 were still at large.

Speaking while addressing journalists, he also said an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was killed during the attack.

He said, “There have been several attacks on our facilities most of them are being repelled, but every now and then, there is one that they have succeeded. In this is one they came very determined with high explosives.

“The forces on the ground did everything they could to repel them but the number they came with was high which they were not able to defend against. They kept on fighting gallantly unfortunately the breach happened. Reinforcement came when they were halfway through it. They were eventually repelled.

“At the time they came in they killed one NSCDC operative while trying to save the situation. The inmates here are 994.

“We understand they are Boko Haram terrorists and came specifically came for their conspirators. Many of them have returned, some were retrieved from the bushes they were hiding, right now we have retrieved about 300 out of about 600 that got out of the jail.”  

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi