During a visit to the facility, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mr Shuaibu Belgore explained that over 300 of the inmates have been retrieved and more are on the way.
He added that the facility houses 994 inmates and that the attackers, which he suspects are Boko Haram terrorists, attacked the facility to rescue their co-conspirators.
He also added that one person died and three others were injured during the attack.
There was pandemonium among residents of the Kuje prison area in Abuja on Tuesday evening after explosions and gunshots were heard from the direction of the correctional centre.
A spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, AD Umar, confirmed that gunmen had attacked the correctional centre but that normalcy had been restored after security agencies intervened.
“I wish to confirm that about 2200hrs, some yet to be identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory,” Umar said.
“However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.”
The incident comes hours after gunmen attacked a presidential advance convoy near Dutsinma, Katsina.
“The attackers opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions but were repelled by the military, police and DSS personnel accompanying the convoy,” presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said.
“Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered. All the other personnel, staff, and vehicles made it safely to Daura.”