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Jailbreak: Two killed as gunmen attack Niger jail, free 180 prisoners


The Nigeria Prisons Service has confirmed a jailbreak at Minna Maximum Security Prison in Niger State.

The spokesperson of the prison service in Niger State, Rabiu Shuaibu, said the incident occurred on Sunday night at the prison, which is in Tunga area of Minna Metropolis.

The attack left two persons dead, a prison warder and a commercial motorcyclist. the spokesman said;

“The unfortunate incident was perpetrated by armed criminals who attacked the prison and gained access after an exchange of fire with armed prison officials.

“This led to the death of a prison officer and an Okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) who conveyed a prison officer on night duty,”

The spokesperson added that the number of prisoners on the run is still being compiled but some of the fleeing prisoners have been rearrested.

“The Prison authority in Minna is profiling the number of fleeing inmates to ascertain the escaped prisoners. So far, through the combined effort of all security agencies in the state, seven prisoners who attempted to escape have been recaptured and returned to the prison.”

The prison service has since called on residents of the area to go about their normal activities noting that normalcy has returned and security agencies are working to ensure that fleeing inmates are recaptured.

Following combined efforts of the Nigerian Prisons Service and other security agencies in Niger state, 30 inmates who escaped from the Minna Medium Security Prison on Sunday night have been recaptured.

The Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Danbazau disclosed this after an on-the-spot assessment of the prison.

Mr Jibrin Ndace, spokesman to Niger Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani-Bello, in a statement on Monday, added that about 180 inmates escaped during the jailbreak.

The Minister, who revealed that Federal Government is building 3000 capacity prison in each geopolitical zone and will recruit 6000 personnel, admitted that there were security lapses at Minna Prison.

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