On Tuesday, at about 10:30 pm, the echoes of gunshots, bomb blasts and thick flames emanating from the Kuje Medium Security Correctional Centre in Abuja caused panic and sleepless nights for many residents of the Kuje Area Council.
The correctional centre holding over 900 inmates had come under attack by armed men who later identified themselves as members of Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The terrorists bombed the fence from the rear to gain entry into the facility, according to multiple accounts of the attack.
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Residents who spoke with THE WHISTLER during a visit to the correctional centre said the operation lasted for more than two hours with persistent gunshots from the extremists. 879 inmates, including 64 members of the sect, escaped out of which 443 have been recaptured.
Chizobo Ebero who sold soft drinks in the area and resides behind the correctional service narrated her experience to THE WHISTLER.
“It was around 10:30 pm on Tuesday. We started hearing gunshots, not only gunshots, bomb blasts. We couldn’t sleep yesterday night, and for two good hours, we kept hearing gunshots. So, we started calling neighbours to know what happened but we couldn’t ascertain.
“It was in the morning that we realised it was a jailbreak, and even the security men were running. They couldn’t withstand the sound of the gunshot,” said Ebero whose account was similar to those given by other residents.
Our reporter observed that the road leading to the prison was lonely except for security operatives, government officials and journalists, seen moving to and fro the attacked facility.
Residents were seen seated in front of their houses still in shock over the incident.
Vincent Enoch told THE WHISTLER that he was deep asleep when he heard resounding blasts from the direction of the Correctional Center.
“When I heard another sound, I woke my neighbours and we came outside. About 30 minutes after, we saw some people running, wearing prison clothes, but we couldn’t do anything than run back to our houses”.
Another resident, Audu Mahmud, told this website that some of the fleeing inmates were scattered around their neighbourhood, but refused to disclose their whereabouts.
“I was outside my house chatting with my friends when the incident occurred at 10 pm, but we didn’t run because we noticed that the prison was the target and not us.
“We heard the sound of two bomb blasts in prison before we started hearing gunshots. They broke into the prison, and inmates escaped. Some are inside this area but I cannot direct you to where they are.
“I know this because we were awake till 4 am and we saw their movement. Over 100 ran into our area and many of them were asking for a way out, but we didn’t tell them.
“They haven’t left the area. If I say they had left, I will be a liar. If the security search for them they will see them, but I can’t reveal anything”.
The prison authorities disclosed, “443 have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 443 inmates are still at large”. Four inmates were confirmed dead while 16 sustained various degrees of injuries and were said to be undergoing treatment.
Among the inmates on the run are 64 members of the terrorist sect. Their escape into society poses a security threat to residents of the Federal Capital Territory as well as the country at large.
A counter-terrorism expert who spoke to this website on the condition of anonymity said the Department of State Services (DSS) had informed the Correctional Centre about an impending attack.
The source said, “The DSS had already informed the prison service and the police since last week that there is going to be an impending attack on the Facility.
“DSS went an extra mile to deploy some monitoring units to check on these facilities from time to time, but to our surprise, the police passed the information to the military yesterday morning.
“The military was deployed on Tuesday morning, and by 8 pm, they left after their shift, and it was when they had gone that the attack happened about 10 pm. So, it is likely the IGP, NSA or the Minister of Interior will be sacked or replaced because the president and the Vice president are bitter by the incident”.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday said he was disappointed “with the intelligence system” and demanded “a comprehensive report” on the incident after inspecting the facility.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) released footage where it claimed responsibility for the attack on Wednesday night. They were seen making merry over the rescue of their members.
Tukur Mamu, a media consultant to the Islamic Scholar Ahmad Gumi, a frontline negotiator with the captors of the Kaduna-Abuja train passengers, said he was not alarmed by the Kuje jailbreak.
Mamu, in a press statement, said he had hitherto shared intelligence with the Federal Government on a perceived danger following their failure to meet the demands of the Kaduna train attackers.
“I can confirm without a doubt that the Kuje Correctional Centre attack was executed and coordinated by the same group that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train because they gave indications of imminent attacks to that effect which I shared.
“For the records, they requested for the release of 51 of their members, but through the power of dialogue and engagement, I was able to single-handedly scaled that number to only 10 and communicated with audio backing the development to the relevant authorities.
“There was an unnecessary delay on giving them even precise feedback by the government and now they have not only succeeded in carrying out another successful attack that indicts the nature of our intelligence and capacity to respond promptly, but has also succeeded in releasing dozens of their members, which would have been averted if actions have been taken to give them only 10 and secure the release of the train victims.
“In all this risky, painful and frustrating engagement, which government is yet to acknowledge and appreciate, I have more than 100 documented audios that I shared with the relevant authorities.
“For the purpose of this important press release and to authenticate my claims, I will also share four of the latest audios,” Mamu said.
The remaining victims of the train attack have been in custody for 100 days, and according to security sources, the Kuje jailbreak was a coordinated attack allegedly aided by insiders.
In April, the Islamic State (IS) spokesman, Abu Omar al-Muhajir called for the release of their imprisoned members, noting that their freedom was a duty the group must fulfil.
He also announced a campaign of vengeance for the death of its leaders. The call witnessed the launch of a series of explosive attacks by ISWAP in Taraba and Kogi States respectively.
But what remains a concern is the infiltration of ISWAP into the capital territory.
An investigation by this website in December 2021 revealed the frightening vulnerability of the nation’s capital, uncovering how ‘bandits’ can penetrate and attack the city.