Kuje prison break: 421 escapees recaptured, 454 still at large

The Nigerian Correctional Service has recaptured 421 inmates who fled the custody facility in Kuje, Abuja, with 454 are still at large, according to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Correctional Service.

This is just as the committee said it had summoned the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Comptroller-General of the NCoS, Haliru Nababa, to appear before it over the recent attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre by terrorists.

The committee also invited the Commander of the Nigerian Army Platoon on duty on the night of the attack.

Chairman of the committee on Correctional Service, Edwin Anayo, who disclosed this during an oversight visit to the facility on Thursday, said the lawmakers met 115 inmates.

“If you subtract it, it will give about 879 that escaped that night,” he noted.

The inmates, including 69 suspected Boko Haram members, had escaped Kuje Medium Custodial Centre on Tuesday last week after members of the Islamic for West Africa Province attacked the facility.

Anayo decried that 12 other Custodial Centres had been attacked across the country recently. He said the recent jailbreaks by gunmen leading to the release of inmates are worrisome.

Anayo said, “We are summoning the CG and the minister in charge of this agency to come to the National Assembly and explain to the whole world and Nigerians what is going on.

“We are not comfortable with the incidences of jailbreaks in recent times. There have been about 10 to 12 attacks on custodial centres. Nigerians are not comfortable.

“In Abuja, nobody walks freely now because of this incident. We have to interact and know the problem, and how we can solve them.

“We have to know your challenges and how to tackle them. The committee is eager to know what transpired here. The reaction of the security agencies.

“After inviting the CG with his team and the minister, we will also invite the leader of the Army team on that day.

“We are summoning the CG with his team, and the minister with his team to know more about what transpired on that fateful day that the incident happened.”