Owerri prison break
The Owerri prison break took place in the early hours of 5 April 2021, when a mass prison break occurred in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.[1] A large armed group arrived in pickup trucks and on buses carrying rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and rifles.[1] The group entered the prison's yard by using explosives to break through the administrative block.[1] The militants attempted to take over the armoury, but failed. The group released over 1,844 inmates from the jail.[1]
The Nigerian Inspector General suspects the Eastern Security Network, the armed wing of the banned separatist group the Indigenous People of Biafra, are responsible for the attack.[1]
President Muhammadu Buhari described the crime as an act of terrorism perpetrated by anarchists.[1]
The attack is part of the insurgency in Southeastern Nigeria and follows an attack in March. Over a dozen police officers and military personnel were killed in a assault on four police stations and several military checkpoints. It is believed the two attacks were perpetrated by the same group.[2]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f More than 1,800 prisoners escape in Nigeria
- ^ AP News (6 April 2021). "Nigeria prison break: More than 1,800 inmates escape after gunmen attack jail". news.sky.com. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
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