The Federal Government has confirmed that over 600 inmates at Kuje Correctional Centre Abuja have fled the place when it came under attack late Tuesday night.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore who made this known to newsmen in Abuja said that those behind the attack were Boko Haram terrorists who came specifically for their members held in the custody.
He, however, said about 300 had been recaptured, while 300 were still at large.
Dr Belgore also said an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was killed during the attack.
He said, “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.
According to him, the attackers burn vehicles, pull down wall at Kuje prison.
“The initial entry attempt was unsuccessful, then they attacked another section of the wall with higher grade explosives which brought the wall down.
“The forces on the ground did everything they could to repel them but the number they came with was 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 operative while trying to save the situation. The inmates here are 994.
“We understand they are Boko Haram terrorists and came specifically for their conspirators. Many of them have returned, some were retrieved from the bushes they were hiding, right now we have retrieved about 300 out of about 600 that got out of the jail.
