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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.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed disappointment over the declaration of State of emergency in Rivers State, saying it discredits Nigeria’s image.
The declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara packing for six months, while the elected members of the State House of Assembly have also been suspended.
Jonathan stated this while speaking as the Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday.
He said elected officials have been removed from office in a very disappointing manner.
Contrary to Jonathan’s view however, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, expressed support for Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
The party said no responsible government will allow a situation to deteriorate before taking decisive action in the best interest of its citizens.
NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, told newsmen: “President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria.
“The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in the public purview.
“The government in Rivers was suspended and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.
“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize.”
But for President Jonathan, “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light.”
He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.
However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.
He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.
Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.
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