Kuje Prison Jailbreak: Buhari visits Kuje, laments intelligence, security failures, Defence Minister says all 64 Boko Haram suspects have escaped, ISWAP claims responsibility

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday visited the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje attacked by terrorists, spending about 30 minutes there.

Soon after he arrived, he was briefed about the attack by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Mohammad Lamido Belgore and the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, showing him the bombed-out section used to access first, and the records office which was set on fire, adding that the invaders thereafter launched an attack on all cells in which Boko Haram terrorists were held.

President Buhari, who, like most Nigerians was shocked by both the scale and audacity of the attack queried: “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?” Question after question.

The President was also informed that the security forces have recaptured 350 of the escapees while about 450 others are still unaccounted for, and that rapid work is under way to recapture the rest.

After inspecting some of the points impacted by the attack, President Buhari spoke to newsmen, expressing disappointment with the intelligence system (and utilization).

“I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it?”

The President, accompanied by Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, said at the end of the visit that he is expecting “a comprehensive report” on the incident.

Meanwhile, ISWAP have claimed responsibility streaming how the attack was carried out online.

At least 64 terrorists have escaped from Kuje prison, Abuja during an attack by Boko Haram terrorists on Tuesday night.

According to the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.), 64 Boko Haram terrorists were held in custody, stressing that they had all been freed by the attackers.

“Currently, they are about 64 of them as inmates and we could not locate them,” he said.

“Well, we too heard the attack. The incident started between 10 and 10:25 am the security operatives recaptured some. What actually happened was they came in their numbers and released some of the inmates. We are now trying to see the kind of inmates they released.

Earlier, it was reported that 600 inmates were said to have escaped from the custodial centre, and 300 have so far been captured.

According to local sources, high-profile Boko Haram suspects and bandits escaped during the invasion of the prison on Tuesday night.

Addressing journalists after taking an assessment tour of the facility, the minister said, “The attack started around 10:30pm. They came in their numbers gained entrance into the prison and they released some of the inmates and which we are now following to see the kind of inmates that they have released.

“Very soon, we will give you the correct figure of the inmates that were taken. Aside that, we are trying to see what we can do to ensure that all escapees are returned back.

“The prison is accommodating about 994 inmates and over 600 escaped. Many people have been recaptured and brought back to the prison. Maybe by the close of the day, more will have been captured and returned.

“I think everything is under control. The people who came to do this activity, from the records, we believe they belong to a particular group. Most likely, they are Boko Haram members because we have sizeable number of Boko Haram suspects in detention, and presently we cannot locate any of them.

“I think they are about 64 in the prison and none of them now is available they have all escaped.”