Lokoja- Nigerian Prison Service in Kogi State has confirmed the escape of 119 inmates from the Koton-Karfe prison on the Lokoja-Abuja road.

However, out of this number, 25 had been re-arrested. The re-arrested inmates were picked up in different locations in Koton-Karfe and other villages on the Lokoja-Abuja highway between Wednesday night and yesterday.

The remaining inmates were asked to voluntarily turn in themselves to the service immediately.

Service spokesperson, Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim, told newsmen yesterday in Lokoja that the inmates were among the 120 persons awaiting trial.

Ibrahim denied that the prison was attacked by members of Boko Haram, adding that those believed to be behind the attack were members of a robbery syndicate whose colleagues were among the detainees.

It was gathered that the robbery syndicate had written three letters to the prison authorities in Lokoja, asking for unconditional release of their colleague.

However, Ibrahim would neither confirm nor deny this, but said that a conventional warder, Mr. Richard Sesan, was killed in the attack, which took the prison authorities by surprise.

She said the attackers gained entry into the cell by blowing up the iron bars with improvised explosive devise, IED, and set their colleagues and other inmates free.

She revealed that one of the inmates stayed back.

Some residents, who witnessed the attack, said the gunmen numbering about 15 arrived in the prison premises on foot, armed with sophisticated weapons, overpowered the officials before setting their colleagues and others free.