President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, expressed disappointment with the intelligence system in Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory.
The terrorists attacked the centre Tuesday morning and freed inmates including 64 Boko Haram members held in the custody.
Buhari who spent about 30 minutes at the centre 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.
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According to a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari while speaking to newsmen, expressed disappointment with the intelligence system (and utilization).
The statement was titled, ‘President Buhari visits Kuje, asks questions about intelligence and why prison defences failed to work.”
Buhari was quoted to have said, “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.
Giving details of the attack, the Nigeria Correction Service’s spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said one Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel and four inmates died during the incident.
In a statement on Wednesday, Abubakar said the terrorists used explosives on the center’s fence and its main entrance to gain access to the facility.
According to him, a total of 16 inmates and three custodial officers were injured during the attack.
He said 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 at the time of this report, 443 have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 443 inmates are still at large, 4 inmates 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.
“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.”
The duo showed the President 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.
