The Nigerian Police has confirmed the attack on the Owerri Correctional Prison in ​Imo State capital by gunmen on Monday morning, Igbere TV reports.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the incident, spokesperson of police in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, assured the people of the state that the security agencies were on top of the matter.

The gunmen who razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters also freed over 1500 inmates from almost the cells at the State Criminal Investigation Department.

The attack, according to an eyewitness started from around 1am and lasted till 3am on Monday.

They sang solidarity songs at the Government House Roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking the facilities, a security source confided in our correspondent.

Igbere TV gathered that on breaking into the prison facility with the aid of explosives and dynamite, the attackers told the inmates to go home.

“Go home, Jesus has risen. You have no reason to be here,” the gunmen were reported to have said.

Go home, Jesus has risen. You have no reason to be here,” the gunmen were reported to have said.