President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his dissatisfaction with the failure of the intelligence system and its application at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in Abuja, which was attacked by terrorists on Tuesday night.
According to a tweet posted on President Buhari’s official Twitter account, he expressed his feelings to journalists during a visit to the correctional facility on Wednesday on an assessment tour following the attack.
What President Muhammadu Buhari is saying
President Buhari said in a tweet, “Saddened by the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje.” I am dissatisfied with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organise, have weapons, and attack a security installation and get away with it? I’m expecting a detailed report on this shocking incident.”
Read Also: Raising interest rate alone will not tackle inflation – LCCI
Soon after arriving at the facility, the President was briefed on the attack by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, and the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Haliru Nababa.
Both men showed President Buhari the bombed-out section and the burned-out records office, adding that the invaders then launched an attack on all cells holding Boko Haram terrorists.
Buhari was told that none of the approximately 64 Boko Haram terrorists were found after the terrorist attack.
The President was also informed that the security forces had apprehended 350 of the escapees, while approximately 450 others remained unaccounted for, and that swift action was being taken to apprehend them.
Meanwhile, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said in a statement that President Buhari, like most Nigerians, was stunned by the scale and audacity of the attack.
He claimed that the president inquired, “How did the prison’s defences fail to prevent the attack?” How many inmates were there in the facility? How many can you name?
Read Also: Kuje prison break: Fish out all escapees – FCT minister orders traditional rulers
“How many people were on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there any guards on the watchtower? What did they do? “Does the CCTV work?”
The President, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, said he expected a “comprehensive report” on the incident at the end of the visit.
In case you missed it,
Recall that the Nigeria Correctional Service confirmed an attack on the Medium Security Custodial in Kuje on Tuesday night.
The attack comes just hours after the Department of Security Service (DSS) reportedly warned authorities of an impending attack on Kuje prison.
Meanwhile, Bashir Magaji, the Minister of Defence, previously revealed that all 64 Boko Haram terrorists at the Kuje prison escaped during the attack on the facility by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday night.
