No fewer than 2,000 inmates escaped on Monday morning in Owerri prison, when suspected gunmen attacked the Correctional Facility near the State Government House.
The gunmen who are also suspected to be IPOB members also attacked the Imo Police command headquarters where they freed another 600 suspects in custody.
They set the police headquarters ablaze with dozens of vehicles burnt in the process.
The attack on Owerri prison started around 1.30 am and ended around 3.30am without any resistance.
The gunmen were said to have converged in front of the Imo State Government House, circling the roundabout and chanting solidarity songs for about 30 minutes before setting out to attack the Police Command Headquarter.
They were said to have shot heavily as they approached the Command headquarters and launched attack on the State Criminal Investigative Department (CID) as well as the former SARS.
Officers on duty reportedly ran away as the gunmen released every suspect in detention.
The only unit the gunmen did not attack, is the anti-kidnapping unit located some meters away inside the police barracks at Shell Camp.
The gunmen were heard telling the detainees and prisoners “you’ve been released because Jesus Christ is risen from the death today”.
After releasing the detainees, it was learnt, they also bombed the building, setting dozens of vehicles within the Police Command ablaze.