About 200 prisoners have escaped from the Koton-Karfe medium federal correctional centre in Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State after an early morning downpour on Monday.

Some parts of the building housing the inmates had collapsed, even as many houses were submerged by the flood.

However, a prison source told The Punch that 100 of the inmates have been rearrested, while unspecified number voluntarily returned.

It was gathered that the rain started around 2 am and lasted till early morning, leading to massive flood that destroyed many houses, including parts of the correctional centre, leading to the escape of the inmates.

The acting Chief Imam of Koton-Karfi central mosque, Saidu Suleiman Nuhu, said the downpour led to River Osugu overflooding its embankment and destroyed many houses, including a part of the correctional centre.

Efforts to speak with correctional officers proved abortive as they refused to speak on the situation.

Sources close to the prison service, however, disclosed that about 100 of the inmates who escaped have been rearrested by the security agents.