ABUJA (Reuters) - Gunmen attacked a jail in Nigeria's Oyo State late on Friday and freed over 800 inmates by force, the state prison service said in a statement on Saturday.

       The prison service said the attackers were heavily armed "with sophisticated weapons" and, after an exchange of gunfire with prison officers, gained entrance into the prison yard by blasting the walls with dynamite.

       Some 575 inmates were missing while 262 escapees had since been captured, it said.

       (Reporting by Camillus Eboh, additional reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenago, writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Kevin Liffey)