Armed men blow up prison wall in Nigeria, escaping 266 inmates

Members of the Nigerian security forces.

(archive)

Nigerian authorities said that heavily armed gunmen raided a prison in the center of the country late Sunday evening, blew up its outer wall and succeeded in smuggling 266 inmates.

The Nigerian Interior Ministry confirmed that a soldier and a policeman were killed in the attack, and two guards are still missing.

This is the second major prison break in Nigeria this year.

Authorities said the attackers used explosives to destroy the fence from three sides and engaged in a gun battle with guards of a medium-security prison in Kabba, Kogi state, southwest of the capital Abuja.

She indicated that 28 out of 294 inmates are still in prison, which means that 266 people have escaped.

This is the second major prison break in Nigeria this year after gunmen attacked a prison in Owerri town in the southeastern state of Imo last April, leaving more than 1,800 inmates escape.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news