Although the police, who foiled the attempted jailbreak, did not confirm the death of any inmate, however, sources said they counted not less than 14 bodies.
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Some prison officials and inmates were injured during the fracas which degenerated to the point that a weapon belonging to an official was seized by the prisoners.
According to reports, the inmates at about 9am started an intense riot in the prison over poor feeding and living condition.
One source said two prison officials were killed by the inmates.
Another source said some of the inmates capitalised on the riot to stage a jail break and had already succeeded in creating an opening on the wall before anti-riot policemen arrived and heavily tear gassed them into submission. Many prison officials were injured.
The Controller of Prisons, Ebonyi, Adaobi Oputa, who confirmed the development yesterday, said the incident occurred around 9.20 a.m. when some inmates refused to allow prison warders conduct the early morning routine search of their cells.
As at press time, Police had cordoned off all roads leading to the Abakaliki prisons.
The prison is located beside the police headquarters, a proximity that enabled a rapid police police response.
She also disclosed that the situation had been brought under control. Governor Dave Umahi visited the prison later.
Another insider, a warder, said a warder was killed and about 10 wounded by the inmates in their bid to escape.
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Reacting to the incident, the State Police Command Spokesman, George Okafor, said, “There was an attempted jailbreak and the prisons called in the police”.
