Boko Haram storms Nigeria prison to free members

Feb 16, 2012, 8:26 GMT

Abuja- Members of the Islamist militia Boko Haram have stormed a prison in central Nigeria, killing a guard and setting inmates free, witnesses told dpa Thursday.

The incident, which took place late Wednesday in Koton Karfe, in central Kogi State, lasted about 30 minutes. The 20 militiamen were armed with bombs and guns.

'They opened fire on one of the security men at the entrance of the prison and killed him on the spot. The main gate of the prison was bombed by the Boko Haram members,' said Mariamu Bello, a witness.

Inuwa Baba, another witness, said they shot randomly into the air to scare away guards, as they freed fellow Boko Haram members who were being held. Other inmates also managed to escape during the chaos.

Boko Haram has attacked prisons on several occasions to free its members, and also managed to help Kabiru Sokoto - the main suspect in a Christmas Day church bombing - escape police custody, although he has since been rearrested.

In a related development, state security services declared an ex-soldier to be wanted in connection to the church attack. He is said to be an accomplice of Sokoto, who was caught for a second time near the Nigeria-Chad border last week.

The December 25 bombing of the St Theresa Catholic Church near the capital Abuja left 43 people dead and scores injured.