All 64 members of Boko Haram held at the Kuje Custodial Centre in the FCT escaped during the attack on the prison Tuesday night.
The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi told a news conference at the facility in Abuja that 600 inmates escaped but that 300 were recaptured.
64 members of Boko Haram held in custody could not be accounted for.
“About 994 inmates, we have about 600 already inside now.
“Many people are being recaptured. The people who came to do this from the records belong to a particular group, from all indicators they are Boko Haram.
“Presently we could not locate any of them. Currently, they are about 64 of them as inmates and we could not locate them,” he said.
The prison was targeted in a daring bomb and gun attack Tuesday night, with residents of the neighbourhood reporting hearing blasts and gunfire for more than two hours.
“The incident started between 10 and 10:25 pm. The security operatives recaptured some.
“What actually happened was they came in their numbers and released some of the inmates,” Mr. Magashi said.
The Kuje prison is known for holding high-profile inmates and suspects, including former governors and ministers.
Nigeria’s renowned “Super Cop,” Abba Kyari, who was suspended on suspicion of dealing with drug traffickers was in the facility at the time of the attack.
There is yet no word about his current state.
