The Nigeria Correctional Service(NCOS), Oyo State Command, has disclosed that 837 inmates escaped from the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo town, Oyo state during an attack late Friday.
The NCOS, Public Relations Officer (PPO), of the command, Olanrewaju Anjorin, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
Anjorin also confirmed that a total of 262 escaped inmates had been recaptured, while 575 are still at large.
Earlier, the New Diplomat had reported that some unidentified gunmen invaded the Abolongo Correctional Center freeing many of inmates.
Confirming the incident, Anjorin said that the armed men stormed the prison facility with several sophisticated weapons, including dynamites, which they used to gain entrance into the correctional centre.
The statement reads, “The invaders arrived the centre heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and after a fierce encounter with the officers on guard, they gained entrance into the yard, using dynamite to blast the wall.
“All the awaiting trial detainees were forced out of custody, the cells housing the convicts and the female inmates were not vandalised.
“Meanwhile, a total of 262 of the escapees have been recaptured leaving 575 still at large.
“Following the directives of the Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, the State Controller, Noel Ailewon, has commenced the process of search and recapture after visiting the scene of the incident.”
