Gunmen armed with grenades and heavy fire arms have freed about 124 inmates from the Nigeria Federal Prison in Koton-Karfe, Kogi State, Nigeria’s north-central region.

Residents of the state said that they heard gunshots and explosions at about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Reports say that security operatives made frantic attempts to repel the attack by some gunmen who attacked the prison.

This would be the second time that gunmen would be attacking the Kogi prison in the last two years.

In February 2012, suspected members of the Boko Haram sect bombed their way into the prison before opening fire on the wardens and emptying the jail of its 200 inmates.

That attack in 2012 left one warden dead.

•Source: Channels TV.