The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola on Monday affirmed that the heavy security put in place at the Correctional Facility located at Kuje, Abuja was breached by the terrorists who invaded the facility on the 5th July, 2022 around 10 pm.
The Minister confirmed this at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, during the resumed investigative hearing into the Kuje Correctional facility, Abuja, held at the instance of the joint Committee on Security & Intelligence, Defence, Army and Police Affairs.
Aregbesola who read the report submitted to the Joint Committee, however, noted that the 65 security personnel comprising of 31 personnel of the Nigerian Army, five personnel of MOPOL 21; five personnel of MOPOL 50; two personnel of Counter Terrorism Unit of Nigeria Police, two personnel of Kuje Police Division; seven personnel of Nigerian Immigration Service; three personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 10 personnel of Correctional Armed Squad, deployed to secure the facility were adequately equipped.
He said: “The general state of insecurity in the country today calls for serious concern. In spite of the determined and sustained efforts of the government to curb the menace, there is a deliberate and determined attempt by those who are bent on criminal activities to erode the gains made in the last few years. Partially all the security challenges we have are inherited. None was caused or created by this administration.
“If you recall the country has suffered serious internal security challenges as a result of farmers/herders’ conflict, especially in the North Central geopolitical zones and in the North Western geopolitical zones. These challenges have negatively affected agricultural productivity. There are also several other issues that pose huge internal challenges to our internal security. We have kidnapping for ransom, Boko Haram, cultism, EndSARS, violent extremism, and separatist agitations.
“The Kuje attack that precipitated the jailbreak cannot be isolated from the general insecurity we have in Nigeria. What I attempted to do in the introduction is to lay the foundation for what we have. On the 5th of July around 10 pm, a huge number of elements that I believe to be terrorists of a particular brand came in large numbers to attack our facility.
“In that facility on that day, we had 31 military personnel stationed in Kuje to protect the facility. On the day of the invasion were 31 Military personnel of the Nigerian Army; five personnel of MOPOL 21; five personnel of MOPOL 50; two personnel of the Counter Terrorism Unit of Nigeria Police; two personnel of Kuje Police Division; seven personnel of Nigerian Immigration; three personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; 10 personnel of correctional armed squad.
“These 65 people were there for specific responsibility of resisting and preventing any attack. And they were all armed. Because of the presence of the pressmen here, I would not tell you the grades of arsenals in their possession, but they were well-armed.
“If we had a more exclusive arrangement, I would give you specific grades of equipment, military arsenals. Arsenals were positioned for the defence of the facility, however, in spite of everything, our arrangement of protection of Kuje failed and the facility was breached.
“On the night of the attack, Kuje accommodated 994 inmates out of which 64 were terror suspects, Boko Haram, ISWAP and others. 888 inmates escaped during the attack, among them were 554 awaiting trial persons. 71 were convicts, 36 were on death row and 17 were on life imprisonment.”
He however noted that: “106 refused to leave the facility during the attack, while 28 inmates who left the facility voluntarily returned between the 6th and 15th of July. As at the time this report was compiled on 16th August, 2022 and sent.”
Speaking earlier, Chairman, House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Hon. Sha’aban Sharada affirmed a total of about 888 inmates including about 64 terror suspects escaped.
“Of grave concern is that the attack which lasted for several hours did not record any formidable resistance from the security personnel deployed to the facility nor was there an adequate response from the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory despite the proximity of the Nigerian Air Force station at the International Airport with the scene of incidence.
“This situation is therefore very disturbing, embarrassing and also raises serious concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire national security architecture especially given the location of their headquarters in the FCT.
“Consequently, the House of Representatives on Thursday, 21st July 2022 passed a resolution to conduct this investigation with a view to investigating the causes of this embarrassing incident.
“The Joint Committee is also mandated to identify the extent to which appropriate authorities within the national security sector have played their roles in responding to this incident as well as to establish the extent of damage to the facility including the exact number of escapees and casualties recorded.”
According to him, the joint Committee during a visit to the Kuje Correctional facility for an on-the-spot assessment observed the devastating destruction of properties as well as all the key and vulnerable points situated in the Facility.
“Additionally, investigative hearings have also commenced in earnest with the appearance of the nation’s Intelligence agencies and other paramilitary agencies on Tuesday, 23rd August 2022.
“During the hearing, insightful briefs were received from the Directors-General of the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service,
“Further briefs were given by the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Immigration Service. Also in attendance were the representatives of the National Security Adviser and the National Park Service.
“I would like to assure you that members of this Joint Committee will not spare anything in order to trace the circumstances that led to this ugly incident while deliberate efforts would be made by us to ascertain the current security situation within and around the facility, measures put in place to safeguard the reoccurrence around the facility and other similar facilities around the country. We would also ensure the monitoring of measures put in place to protect lives and property of residents in the FCT and those of all Nigerians.”
After heated debate on the need to summon the Service Chiefs who failed to appear before the joint Committee despite the two invitations sent to them, the lawmakers unanimously reversed the motion to summon the Service Chiefs to appear on Thursday, 8th September, 2022. They however resolved to send a final invitation to the Minister of Defence, Police Affairs, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Defence Intelligence Agency.
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