Kuje prison attack: Boko Haram’s weapons better than govt forces’ —FG

THE Federal Government on Friday indicated that the terrorists who attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) succeeded because they had superior firepower. 

The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, made the assertion while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

He said the security personnel deployed in the facility did their best to repel the attack but were subdued by the superior weaponry of the terrorists. 

The minister revealed that some of the assailants were killed. Asked why the terrorists could not be stopped, he said: “You see, these kinds of things, they happen and I want to assure you all, those who were supposed to play a role in ensuring that the attack was neutralised did the best that they could to neutralise it. 

“I think what helped them (terrorists) was the number of people they came with and the superior weapons they came with. 

“And because nobody anticipated it, the few people could not withstand the number that they came with. I think that’s what happened.” 

He, however, gave the assurance that investigation into the incident would continue. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has released the names and images of 69 suspected Boko Haram members who escaped from the Kuje custodial centre in Abuja during the Tuesday night attack by terrorists. 

The service accordingly declared the suspects who escaped from the custodial centre wanted and appealed to the public to volunteer information that could lead to their recapture. 

NCoS had revealed that a total of 879 inmates, including Boko Haram members, escaped when gunmen attacked the facility with explosive devices and set the inmates free. 

The Public Relations Officer of NCoS, Umar Abubakar, in a statement, disclosed that 443 of the escapees had been recaptured, bringing the total number of inmates in the facility now to 578. 

Abubakar said: “We are under intense pressures to recapture all the escapees, including the 64 Boko Haram members. 

“Investigations are going on at all levels of the country’s security architecture to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack, especially as Mr President expressed reservations and disappointment on the intelligence community. 

“The biodata, as well as photographs of insurgents who escaped, is being compiled and we are enlisting the services and collaborations of religious leaders and community leaders within and outside the FCT to recapture the escapees. 

“The approach being adopted, I cannot give you details at the moment. But we are not leaving anything to chance. Hopefully, by the end of work today, I will update you on the numbers of inmates recaptured.” 

Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said during his visit to the facility on Wednesday morning that the attackers headed towards the direction where Boko Haram suspects were kept. He disclosed that after the attack, none of the 64 Boko Haram suspects in custody could be located. 

He said: “The prison is accommodating about 994 inmates and over 600 escaped. Many people have been recaptured and brought back to the prison. Maybe by the close of the day, more will have been captured and returned. 

“I think everything is under control. The people who came to do this activity, from the records, we believe they belong to a particular group. Most likely, they are Boko Haram members because we have a sizeable number of Boko Haram suspects in detention and presently we cannot locate any of them. I think they are about 64 in the prison and none of them now is available. They have all escaped.” 

The NCoS, while releasing the names and photographs of the escaped inmates, said: “The following are faces and names of inmates with Boko Haram/terrorism cases who escaped from Kuje Correctional Centre during the jail attack on 5th July, 2022. 

“If you see any of these people, or have useful information which may lead to their recapture, report to any law enforcement agency nearest to you. We guarantee to keep your information anonymous.”