Gunmen on Sunday invaded Nigeria’s Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba, North Central Kogi State, and freed at least 240 prisoners.
Two soldiers were killed while on a routine patrol at a checkpoint metres before the prison, which is situated along Lokoja-Okebukun-Kabba-highway.
Mr Francis Enobore, spokesman of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Monday said the attackers were many and heavily armed, and that they immediately engaged the guards in a fierce gun battle.
He said that the Comptroller–General, Mr Haliru Nababa, ordered activation of a recapture procedure and for an investigation to be conducted.
Mr Nababa also appealed to the public to furnish security operatives with useful intelligence that will assist in recapturing the escapees.
There were 294 inmates in the facilities, 224 of which were pre-trial detainees and 70 convicted inmates.
The incident comes a few months after gunmen attacked the Nigerian Correctional Service and the police headquarters in Imo State, freeing 1,844 inmates. They then set the facilities ablaze.
In October last year, two prisons were invaded by protesters in Edo state, South South Nigeria, and more than 670 inmates set free.
