Unknown gunmen attacked the Minna Medium Security Prison on Saturday freeing 276 inmates.
The gunmen swooped on the prison located along David Mark road, overpowered the security men at the prison, released the prisoners and also broke open the armoury and carted away arms at 4.30pm.
Eyewitnesses say that the gunmen who were dressed in long flowing gowns stormed the facility and disarmed the Prison officials, broke into the record room, armoury room and carted away some weapons and bullet-proof vests.
The invaders, who were numbered over 20, were said to have bunched themselves in group, with one of the groups stationed around the prison facility through out the operations that lasted less than 15 minutes.
According to reports, the gang fired gunshots into the air immediately they entered the prison, ordering all the inmates out.
Prison officials were quoted as saying in confidence said that over 268 inmates escaped with the gunmen, including notorious criminals. .
“We had 323 inmates in our various cells but we are left with only 53 in one of the cells. Our gateman was injured; they broke into our armoury and carted away weapons and bullet-proof vests.
“Where I took cover I saw Osama, one of the notorious armed robbers in the facility firing shots into the air. I want to believe his gang must have brought the gun and I saw him leading Ayo (Eze Ego), a dismissed Mopol out and other inmates.”
The armed men later snatched a Honda Car and escaped with it. Eight out of the 276 prisoners have been caught while the search for the remaining 268 is still ongoing.
Though the police have arrested four persons suspected to be involved in the attack in a Toyota sienna bus with four AK 47 guns, the operation seems like that of the Boko Haram that has been attacking prisons around the country to free their members
