Heavily armed gunmen attacked a jail in Kogi state on Sunday, freeing over 240 inmates, POLITICS NIGERIA has learned.
According to a statement signed by Nigeria’s correctional service spokesman, Francis Enobore, the attackers also engaged prison security guards in a fierce gun battle.
“The medium Security Custodial Centre in Kabba, Kogi State, has been attacked by yet to be identified gunmen and 240 inmates forcefully released,”
At about 2245 GMT on Sunday, numerous attackers “engaged the armed guards in a fierce gun battle.”
The gunmen were able to breach and invade the prison, which had 294 prisoners in custody at the time, including 224 pre-trial detainees.
Nigeria’s ministry of Interior has also confirmed the incident adding that a soldier and police officer were killed in the attack. A statement on Monday signed by the minister’s Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, read;
“The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has been briefed by the Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, on the unfortunate attack on Kabba Medium Security Custodial Centre, in Kabba, Kogi State, by yet to be identified gunmen.”
“During the attack, security officers on duty which comprised of 15 Soldiers, 10 Police Officers and 10 armed guards of the NCoS on duty fought gallantly to repel the attack. Regrettably, two officers of the Correctional Service are yet to be accounted for while one soldier and a policeman lost their lives during the attack.”
“The Kabba Custodial facility had 294 inmates as at the time of the attack, many of whom escaped after the gunmen used explosives to destroy three sides of the perimeter fence. However, there remains 28 inmates who didn’t escape. Some have also voluntarily returned to the facility as at this morning.”
