NIGERIA. Abuja: Following an attack on the detention facility by a gang of people believed to be members of Boko Haram, 64 of the deadly terrorist organization’s members have escaped from Kuje Custodian Center.
According to the Transcontinental Times, the attack started at about 22:00 GMT (10:00 WAT). It lasted for an hour before the security personnel could respond as the attack was carried out with the help of dangerous explosive devices.
Speaking to the reporters after the attack, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Shuaibu Belgore, said “There were 994 inmates in the correctional centre; 600 escaped because of the attack, while 300 have been recaptured.”
As per the reports, State Security Service had warned the officials of a likely attack on the facility, but nothing tangible was put in place to forestall the attack.
“The inmates here are 994. We understand they are Boko Haram terrorists and came specifically for their conspirators. Many of them were returned, some were retrieved from the bushes they were hiding. We have retrieved about 300 out of about 600 that got out of the jail,” the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Shuaibu Belgore.
It was also learnt that Kuje correctional, which can house only 550 inmates, is overcrowded with about 1000 inmates.
Confirming the attack, the Nigeria Correctional Center (NCoS) spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory.
The prison is in the Kuje Area Council of the FCT, lying outside the Abuja city centre, 47 kilometres to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, and 24 kilometres to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
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