The Imo command of the Nigerian Correctional Service has confirmed an attack on its facility in Owerri.

A spokesman for the NCS, James Madugba, confirmed the prison break to journalists in Owerri on Monday.

Mr Madugba, who disclosed that the prison break occurred at about 2.00 a.m Monday, also noted that many inmates escaped with operational vehicles razed.

He added that the NCS had yet to confirm the number of escaped inmates and damaged vehicles.

“We can confirm that the facility was attacked at about 2.00 a.m. Monday with operational vehicles burnt and many inmates at large.

“We have yet to confirm definite figures, but we’ll make them public as soon as possible,” he said.

He, however, called on residents to go about their lawful businesses, as, according to him, the situation is under control.

Peoples Gazette reported that the correctional facility and police investigations department in Owerri were set alight by unidentified attackers in an overnight operation on Monday.

Multimedia and witnesses’ accounts on social media said the attackers struck the prison and police department shortly after midnight, freeing a yet-unconfirmed number of inmates and suspects. Heavy gunfire also rang through the area, with an account saying hundreds of inmates might have escaped.

Senior government officials have been reportedly told to shelter-in-place due to the proximity of the scene to the government house.

It was unclear how many prisoners escaped, but Amnesty International said over the weekend that Owerri Correctional Centre had 2,156 inmates as against its installed capacity of 548 people.

The level of destruction and casualty figures were not immediately available, but pictures shared on Twitter showed heavy smokes billowing from what posters said were the scenes of the attack that lasted for more than two hours.

(NAN)