The escape of prisoners from Koutoukale, located 50km (30 miles) northwest of Niamey, the capital, and the method they used were not specified in the ministry’s statement.
Last attempts to breach security at the facility were unsuccessful in both 2016 and 2019.
Among those detained at the prison are individuals involved in Niger’s struggle against armed groups affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State, along with suspected insurgents linked to Boko Haram.
Officials in the urban commune of Tillaberi, located in the same region as the prison, implemented an overnight curfew without providing additional details.
Since 2012, Niger and neighboring countries in the central Sahel region have been grappling with a growing jihadist threat, initially sparked by militants affiliated with al Qaeda seizing control in Mali.
The conflicts have led to thousands of deaths and forced over 3 million people to flee their homes, worsening a profound humanitarian crisis in some of the world’s poorest nations.
Humanitarian organisations continue to work tirelessly to deal with the pressing needs of those concerned, but the crisis remains unstable as the conflict continues and the humanitarian riposte struggles to keep pace with the rising needs of helpless populations.