Islamic State raids Nigerian prison freeing 440 inmates

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a raid on a prison in Abuja on Tuesday night, which led to the escape of around 400 inmates.

Permanent secretary at the interior ministry, Shuaib Belgore told journalists outside the prison that a security officer had been killed and three were injured.

He said that it was suspected the attackers were from Boko Haram and had come to free members held in the prison.

The prison service said that 879 people fled the prison which holds 900 inmates. According to their statement, 443 are still at large and the rest have been recaptured. Four inmates have died and 16 are injured.

The raid has raised fears that insurgents are travelling further from their enclaves in the northeast of the country.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari made a visit to the prison and demanded a report on the attack, whilst questioning the prison's intelligence system.

On Wednesday, the president's convoy with an advance team of security guards, protocol and media officers was ambushed on the way to Buhari's hometown in the northern state of Katsina where he was due to celebrate Eid. The president was not in the convoy.

A presidential spokesperson said: "The attackers opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions but were repelled by the military, police and security personnel accompanying the convoy."

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