An unknown number of prisoners have escaped after an attack by gunmen on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in the Abolongo area of Oyo State.
Reports say that the inmates were set free from the correctional facility during an attack on Friday at about 10pm in Oyo town.
The attack was confirmed by the spokesman of the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Olanrewaju Anjorin, who stated that the assailants who were large in number, stormed the area unexpectedly, using explosives to gain entry into the facility.
The prison authority also revealed that the escaped prisoners were awaiting trial.
According to Anjorin, prison officials in collaboration with other security agencies have launched a search mission to track the escapees and return them to the facility.
Although the command spokesman could not ascertain if there was any casualty in the attack, he stated that investigations were ongoing.
The attack comes a month after a group of gunmen released prisoners from a correctional facility in Kogi.
Chronicle NG reported that not less than 240 prisoners escaped after the attack on Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba, Kogi State by the unidentified armed men.
The attack which took place around midnight in Sunday, was confirmed by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesman, Mr Francis Enobore, who issued a circular notifying the public on the latest development on Monday.
Enobore stated that the assailants came heavily armed and engaged the prison guards in a fierce gun battle. They overpowered the guards and set most of the prisoners free.
