By Our Correspondent
The ministry of interior says about 600 inmates escaped from Kuje prison in the federal capital territory (FCT).
Shuaib Belgore, permanent secretary, ministry of interior, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the facility in Abuja.
Gunmen had attacked the prison with explosives on Tuesday night.
Speaking on Wednesday, Belgore said the assailants came to the the prison “very prepared” with explosives.
He said about 600 inmates escaped, but that security operatives have retaken 300 so far, and that effort is in progress to recapture others at large.
“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,” he said.
“The intial entry attempt was unsuccessful then they attack the another section of the wall with higher grade explosives which brought the wall down. The forces on ground did everything they could to repell them, but the number they came with were 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 personnel while trying to safe the situation.
“The inmate here are 994. We understand they are Boko Haram terrorists and came specifically came for their conspirators. Many of them are returned, some where retrieved from the bushes they were hiding right we have retrieved about 300 out of about 600 that got out of the jail.”
Belgore said the number of the assailants killed is yet to be ascertained.
He added that one security operative was killed while three others were wounded and are receiving treatment.
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