A heavily armed man has attacked a prison in southwestern Nigeria. The militants forcibly released more than 800 detainees, with a spokesman for the penitentiary administration saying it was the third such attack this year.
Olarewaju Anjorin told the Nigerian News Agency (NAN): “Men armed with ‘advanced weapons’ and grenades attacked the Ablongogo penitentiary on Friday night.
After an exchange of gunfire with prison guards and officers, they stormed her courtyard, blowing up dynamite walls. “Many detainees (who fled) have already been arrested,” he said, adding that the attack took place at around 9.50pm on Friday night.
More than 800 detainees escaped.
According to the announcement of the administration of the penitentiary, 575 detainees are missing, all of whom were waiting for their trial, while 262 fugitives were arrested. The announcement adds that the prison housed only 64 convicts, who did not escape, according to the APE-MPE.
Attacks on prisons in Nigeria
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is facing great insecurity, and criminal groups are operating in vast areas of its territory.
Also on September 13, an attack was carried out on a prison in central Coggy County, where 240 detainees had been forcibly released.
In April, another prison in the southeastern part of the country was attacked and more than 1,800 detainees escaped.
