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Nigeria 'attempted jailbreak' leaves more than 20 dead | Nigeria 'attempted jailbreak' leaves more than 20 dead |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Twenty-one people have been killed in an attempt to escape from detention at the headquarters of Nigeria's secret police in the capital, officials say. | |
Police said the trouble started when a prisoner beat a guard with his handcuffs in an attempt to escape. | Police said the trouble started when a prisoner beat a guard with his handcuffs in an attempt to escape. |
Local media say many of the police detainees are suspected members of the Islamist group Boko Haram. | Local media say many of the police detainees are suspected members of the Islamist group Boko Haram. |
The group has waged a violent four-year campaign to install a radical form of Islam in the north. | The group has waged a violent four-year campaign to install a radical form of Islam in the north. |
Thousands have been killed since the conflict started in 2009. | Thousands have been killed since the conflict started in 2009. |
It is unclear whether all of those killed during Sunday's unrest are prisoners. | It is unclear whether all of those killed during Sunday's unrest are prisoners. |
A spokeswoman for the State Security Services, Marilyn Ogar, said two service personnel had been seriously injured in the incident. | A spokeswoman for the State Security Services, Marilyn Ogar, said two service personnel had been seriously injured in the incident. |
Guards at the facility in Abuja opened fire after the attempted escape of one prisoner, she said. | Guards at the facility in Abuja opened fire after the attempted escape of one prisoner, she said. |
The army was deployed to the area, which is near the presidential villa. | The army was deployed to the area, which is near the presidential villa. |
'New recruits' | 'New recruits' |
Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati described the incident as an "attempted jailbreak" in a post on Twitter. | |
He said the situation was under control and that President Goodluck Jonathan was safe and well. | He said the situation was under control and that President Goodluck Jonathan was safe and well. |
Boko Haram attacks have increased during the first three months of 2014. | |
Amnesty International says 1,500 people have been killed in north-east Nigeria this year. | |
A report by the human rights group says more than half of those killed were civilians. | |
As well as attacks on schools, Boko Haram has hit military installations such as the main barracks in the city of Maiduguri earlier this month. | |
Meanwhile UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has said human rights violations by Nigerian security forces were creating "fertile ground for Boko Haram to cultivate new recruits". | |
Boko Haram was founded in Maiduguri in 2009. It wants northern Nigeria to become an Islamic state. | Boko Haram was founded in Maiduguri in 2009. It wants northern Nigeria to become an Islamic state. |