At least one person died, with three others injured in an attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
On Tuesday evening, explosions and gunshots were heard from the direction of the correctional centre, a situation that forced pandemonium among residents of the Kuje area.
Barely 24 hours after the incident, the Federal Government said suspected Boko Haram terrorists stormed the facility to rescue their members.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mister Shuaibu Belgore, stated this on Wednesday during a visit to the facility.
He explained that over 300 of the inmates have been retrieved and more are on the way, adding that about 600 prison inmates fled in the attack last night.
Although the police authorities have yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, a spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, AD Umar, said normalcy had been restored after security agencies intervened.
“I wish to confirm that about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory,” Umar said.
“However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.”
This is not the first time gunmen will attack correctional centres in the country, releasing inmates while killing some security officials.
During an attack on the Owerri prison in Imo State on April 4, 2023, gunmen had freed 1,844 prisoners after using explosives to gain entry into the facility.
The attackers made their way into the Owerri prison in Imo state, engaging guards in a gun battle before storming the prison.
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