Suspected gunmen have freed more than 240 inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba, Kogi State.
Kabba Centre was established in 2008 with a capacity of 200 inmates.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesman, Mr Francis Enobore confirmed the incident in a press release on Monday, stating that the attack took place at about midnight on Sunday.
Reports monitored from Channels TV indicates that the attackers in their numbers arrived at the custodial centre heavily armed and immediately engaged the guards in a fierce gun battle, according to him.
Mr Enobore stated that the Comptroller–General, Haliru Nababa has ordered a recapture procedure to be activated immediately and detailed investigation carried out even as he leads a team to assess the situation.
The Comptroller-General appealed to the general public to furnish security operatives with useful intelligence that will assist in recapturing the escapees.
As of the time of the invasion, 294 inmates were in custody out of which 224 were pre-trial detainees and 70 convicted inmates.
The latest jailbreak comes a few months after gunmen attacked the Nigerian Correctional Service and the police headquarters in Imo State, freeing 1,844 inmates, after which the hoodlums set the facilities ablaze.
The gunmen also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters and burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command’s headquarters. No fewer than 50 cars were set ablaze in the process.
Recall that a similar attack was carried out at the correctional centre in Ubiaja, Edo State.
The inmates, after breaking out from their cells, engaged the correctional officers in a fight, leaving some of the security personnel injured.
Officers from the Nigerian Army, 4th brigade, and Edo command of the Nigeria Police Force eventually overpowered the inmates and returned them to their cells.
