Jailbreak: FCT Minister Directs Kuje Traditional Ruler To Help Security Agencies Apprehend Escapees

The FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, has directed the Gomo of Kuje, HRH Haruna Tanko Jibrin, to summon all traditional chiefs in Kuje Area Council with a view to assisting security agencies to apprehend inmates who escaped during Tuesday night’s attack on the Kuje Correctional Center.

Bello gave the directive during his visit to the facility which came under attack by terrorists at about 10:30 pm on Tuesday.

The Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack which led to the escape of over 800 inmates, including 64 Boko Haram terrorists said to be awaiting trial.

Bello’s Chief Press Secretary, Rabi Umar, said the minister asked the traditional ruler and his chiefs to “combine intelligence with security agencies to fish out the escaped inmates from the community.”

Umar added, “While calling on members of the communities to provide appropriate intelligence to the security agencies to enable them do their work, the Minister expressed confidence that, with maximum cooperation from the communities, all those who escaped would be traced, found and brought back since no one could go into any community and blend without being spotted by members of the community.

“The Minister who met with the Comptroller General, Nigeria Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa and the Gomo of Kuje during the visit, described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate”, adding that such incidents threaten everybody, hence the need for everyone to support the security agencies in carrying out their assignments.

“The Minister also stated that efforts are being made to strengthen security, not only around the facility, but the Kuje Area Council and other parts of the territory.”

Bello condoled with the Gomo of Kuje and the family of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps officer who lost his life during the incident, describing him as “a very fine and gallant officer”.

THE WHISTLER reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had visited the correctional center and was briefed on the number of inmates that escaped and those recaptured by security agencies.

Presidential aide, Femi Adesina, said Buhari was informed that the security forces “recaptured 350 of the escapees while about 450 others are still unaccounted for”.

He quoted the president as saying, “I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it?” adding “How did the defences at the prison fail to prevent the attack? How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many personnel did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watchtower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work?”