More than 400 prisoners are missing following a raid on a prison in Nigeria's capital Abuja, officials say.

Four inmates, a security guard and several attackers were killed after the prison was targeted on Tuesday night, according to officials.

Islamist militants have said they carried out the attack, and dozens of jihadists are thought to be on the run.

More than 5,000 inmates have escaped during prison breaks in Nigeria since 2020.

Loud explosions and gunfire were heard near the Kuje medium-security prison, just outside the capital, on Tuesday night when the attack happened.

"We heard shooting on my street. We thought it was armed robbers," a local resident told AFP news agency. "The first explosion came after the shooting. Then a second one sounded and then a third."

SOURCE:BBC