The Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje in Abuja was attacked by terrorists on Tuesday night, and President Muhammadu Buhari expressed disappointment with the intelligence system’s performance and application there.
On Wednesday, when President Buhari visited the prison for an assessment tour following the attack, he spoke with journalists and expressed his emotions, according to a tweet posted on the president’s official Twitter account.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s words
In a tweet, President Buhari wrote, “Saddened by the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Center, Kuje. The intelligence apparatus has let me down. How are terrorists able to plan an attack on a security installation, obtain weapons, and escape punishment? On this shocking incident, I am anticipating a thorough report.
Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, and Haliru Nababa, the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), briefed the President about the attack not long after he arrived at the facility.
Both men informed President Buhari that the invaders then attacked all cells housing Boko Haram terrorists after showing him the bombed-out section and the records office, both of which were set on fire.
Buhari was informed that after the terrorist attack, none of the approximately 64 Boko Haram terrorists had been located.
The security forces have detained 350 of the escapees, while about 450 others are still missing. The President was also informed that quick action was being taken to detain them.
According to Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, President Buhari, like most Nigerians, was astounded by the scope and audacity of the attack.
How did the prison’s defences fail to stop the attack, the president reportedly questioned? How many prisoners were there in the prison? What percentage of them can you identify?
“How many staff members were on duty? How many of them had weapons on them? On the watchtower, were there any guards? How did they behave? Is the CCTV operational?
The President, who was present along with Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Professor Ibrahim Gambari, his Chief of Staff, said he was anticipating “a comprehensive report” on the incident at the conclusion of the visit.
If you somehow missed it
Recall that the Medium Security Custodial in Kuje had been attacked on Tuesday night, according to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
It was reported that the Department of Security Service (DSS) had warned the authorities of an impending attack on Kuje prison a few hours prior to the attack.
Bashir Magaji, the defence minister, previously revealed that all 64 Boko Haram terrorists held at the Kuje prison had escaped during the Tuesday night shooting by unidentified gunmen.
