The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) says 262 inmates from the 837 that escaped from the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo town have been recaptured.

Spokesperson of the NCS Oyo command, Olanrewaju Anjorin, in a statement on Saturday in Ibadan, said while 262 escaped inmates had been recaptured, 575 were still at large.

It was reported that suspected gunmen invaded the facility on Friday at about 9.30 p.m., blowing up the facility with dynamite and freeing all 837 awaiting trial inmates.

Mr Anjorin said, “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.”

According to him, “the State Controller, Noel Ailewon, has commenced the process of search and recapture after visiting the scene of the incident.”

Assuring the public the fleeing inmates will be recaptured, the spokesperson said credible intelligence was needed to assist security agencies to track down the inmates.

He said the Oyo Custodial Centre was established in 2007 with a capacity of 160 inmates but had a total population of 907 at the time of the attack.

“Of this number, awaiting trial persons were 837 representing 92 per cent with just 64 convicts,” Mr Anjorin said.

(NAN)