Buhari meets security chiefs over Kuje prison attack

July 8, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, some cabinet ministers, and all security and service chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Others attending the security meeting include Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, was represented at the meeting.

It was gathered that the meeting would deliberate on the country’s security challenges occasioned by the recent attack on Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, masterminded by terrorists where Boko Haram inmates escaped.

President Buhari, on Wednesday, visited the Kuje correctional centre, where he expressed disappointment with the nation’s intelligence system.

After inspecting some of the points impacted by the attack, Buhari expressed disappointment with the intelligence system and utilisation, saying: “I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it?”

The Star had reported that the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Kuje correctional centre.

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) had said four inmates of the correctional centre died while 879 escaped during the attack on the facility by terrorists.

It stated that the assailants broke into the Kuje prison using explosive devices through the main entrance and the fence of the facility respectively.

The Service added that an operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the correctional centre was killed, noting that three personnel of the NCoS were injured.