President Muhammadu Buhari has visited the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
A total of 443 inmates have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 443 inmates are still at large, 4 inmates are dead and 16 inmates sustained various degrees of injuries and are being treated at the moment. However, efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates.
SpyeTV had reported that terrorists attacked the centre and freed inmates including 64 of their members held in custody during the attack.
Shortly before the President’s arrival, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, had told journalists that there are strong indications that terrorists invaded the facility to free their members from being held in detention.
He explained that the Federal Government is working hard to ensure that other fleeing inmates were being recaptured and kept back in the facility.
“Most likely, they are Boko Haram because we have a sizeable number of Boko Harams that are in detention,” the minister said.
“Presently, we could not locate any of them. I think there are about 64 Boko Haram (members) in prison, they have all escaped.”
Also, the Nigeria Correction Service, stated that said one personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and four inmates died during the incident.
NCS spokesman, Umar Abubakar, in a statement, said the terrorists used explosives on the centre’s fence and its main entrance to gain access to the facility.
Noting that a total of 16 inmates and three custodial officers were injured during the attack, Abubakar stated that 879 inmates escaped from the facility while 443 had been recaptured and 551 are still at large.
“A total of 879 inmates escaped from the facility during the unfortunate attack. As of the time of this report, 443 have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 443 inmates are still at large, 4 inmates are dead and 16 inmates sustained various degrees of injuries and are being treated at the moment. However, efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates,” he said.
“The Service will deploy its Corrections Information Management System in synergy with National Identity Management Commission to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody.”
Meanwhile the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Interior, Shuaibu Belgore, had earlier told journalists on Wednesday while giving update after an attack on Kuje Custodial Centre on Tuesday that about 300 out of 600 inmates have been retrieved back to the correctional centre in Kuje Abuja.
“The inmates here are 994. We understand they are Boko Haram terrorists and came specifically came for their conspirators. Many of them are returned, some were retrieved from the bushes they were hiding right. About 300 out of 600 inmates have been retrieved back to the correctional centre.
