Witnesses report that the attack began at 10 p.m. and lasted for more than an hour before security personnel repelled the terrorists who broke into the facility with explosives.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, who confirmed the attack, said about 600 inmates fled the prisons following the attack.
According to Belgore, those behind the attack were Boko Haram terrorists who came specifically for their members held in the custody.
“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 initial entry attempt was unsuccessful, then they attacked another section of the wall with higher grade explosives which brought the wall down.
“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.” He told news men.
Photos from the correctional facility after the attack on Tuesday night have been shared online.
See below,
