Kuje Prison attack: NCoS CG, top officials face sack as Senate insists, ‘insider conspiracy’ led to attack

As wild reactions continue to trail the terrorists’ attack on Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre on Tuesday night, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Haliru Nababa and other topnotch officials faces sack.

Terrorists who identified themselves as Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) claimed responsibility that they attacked the prison on Tuesday to release their members who were held in the facility.

While on a visit to the Custodial Centre on Thursday, Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan alongside the leadership of the upper legislative Chamber expressed anger at the manner terrorists stormed the facility without being repelled by Security operatives stationed at the Centre.

As the Senate team took time to inspect the wanton destruction caused, they suspected insider conspiracy, saying that the terrorists took their time to open the prison doors for their targets.

Lawan said: “The way the operation was even carried out based on inspection made by us, strongly indicate insiders’ connivance which must be critically looked into.”

Meanwhile, the NCoS Comptroller General, Nababa reacting to series of questions disclosed that the number of Security personnel stationed at the facility as at the time terrorists stormed were 51, yet they were overpowered by the AK -47 bearing terrorists who were over 300 in number.

“Our men and other security operatives like the Army and Police, gave the attackers the required counter offensive which made them to suffer casualty of about four terrorists”, he said.

Nababa who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 19th February, 2021 and later confirmed as substantive CG-NCoS by the Senate could not satisfactorily explain what transpired, hence, Senators continue to vent dissatisfaction at the role played by the security agents on the night of the attack.

Lawmakers wondered how the Custodial Centre lacked a functional Close Circuit Television (CCTV) which incapacitated management and security from preventing and responding appropriately to the attack that led to escape of over 800 inmates.

Ahmad Lawan, his Deputy, Ovie Omo – Agege and other principal officers carpeted the CG and described the attack as very disappointing and a failure of security system.

What baffled the lawmakers at a point was the access into the facility by over
300 ISWAP fighters on foot, while they forced their ways into the various cells and released over 800 targeted inmates for over an hour without any counter offensive from security personnel on ground.

Lawan maintained: “This is unacceptable and will not be condoned . For CCTV and other relevant tracking gadgets not to be functional are highly disturbing and dangerous for the security of inmates and residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

The 51 security operatives as submitted by CG NCS, got overwhelmed by the 300 attackers armed with AK 47 and Improvised Explosives Device ( IEDs).

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege said killing four out of 300 is nothing to write home about.

“I’ m personally disturbed by this your submission. Killing just four terrorists out of 300 is nothing to me.

“This type of poor response to
heinous crime of this nature is not deterring in anyway because they can attack again “, he said .

By way of resolution, the Senate President told the NCS CG to ensure proposals such as procurement of CCTV and other tracking gadgets as well as enough security personnel at the centre in 2023 budget.

He said the Senate Committee on Interior and other security related ones, will very soon summon the CG and other relevant authorities on it Custodial Centres for post mortem review of the incidences and required way out.

“There should be an end to all these issues of jail break or outright attacks .

“Our failing security system must be reviewed and required technology brought to bear because all maximum and medium correctional centres must have functional CCTV and well secured at all times against any form of attack”, he stressed.

On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari visited Kuje prison while on his way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where he was flown to Dakar, Senegal, for the International Development Association (IDA) for Africa Summit.

While at the Centre, he expressed disappointment at the failure of security intelligence and demanded a comprehensive security report of the incident.

The security report, a source close to the the villa who spoke with CAPITAL POST on Thursday said, it may lead to the sack of Comptroller General, Haliru Nababa.

Also, an Abuja based lawyer and Security expert, Barrister Joshua Emmanuel, who shared his perspective, heaped blame on the Comptroller General, saying there may have been inexplicable careless and incompetence by the prison boss, hence, he should be fired without delay.

He said: “Once a suspect is kept in the Nigerian Custodial Centre, it becomes the responsibility of the officials of the Centre to provide security of the inmates and the facilities.”

As it were, how did terrorists have unfettered access to the Kuje Custodial Centre, and release hardened criminals. I hope President Muhammadu Buhari would be serious for once to fire the prison boss and those who are complicit in the attack”, he maintained.