Buhari to Security Chiefs: Ensure no more prison breaks in Nigeria

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Nigeria’s security agencies to ensure there is no further successful attack on any prison anywhere in Nigeria.

 

The president gave the directive in the aftermath of Tuesday’s attack on the Kuje prison in Abuja during which over 800 prisoners escaped. About half of the escapees have been rearrested while the other half, including over 60 Boko Haram terrorists, are still at large.

 

Mr Buhari gave his order at at the National Security Council meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

 

Details of the discussions were provided by the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, who briefed journalists after the meeting.

 

“The President was deeply concerned about these developments and he initiated today’s meeting, to enable security agencies, service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, to brief the Council on what actually happened and the way forward,” Mr Dingyadi said.

 

“The service chiefs have been given very clear directives to ensure that adequate measures are taken not only to investigate what happened but also to take steps to forestall the occurrence of such incidents.

 

“We had a very successful meeting and the meeting has agreed to take proactive measures that will ensure that a repeat of what happened these few days will not be witnessed anymore.”

 

Mr Dingyadi assured Nigerians of a full-scale investigation into the attack, as he solicited their support in fighting all forms of criminality.

 

“The president is surprised that what happened in Kuje actually took place in spite of all the security arrangements that have been made to ensure that such an incident does not happen.

 

“We are assuring the nation and Nigerians in general, that arrangements have been made to ensure that full investigations are carried out and to ensure that a repeat of the incidents will not occur.

 

“We call on Nigerians to continue to support the federal government in the effort to ensure that we fight criminalities to finish and to ensure that this country is brought back to normalcy in a more secure and a more peaceful atmosphere,” he said.

 

The attack on the Kuje prison joins a growing list of attacks on prisons in the past two years. At least seven prisons across Nigeria have experienced similar attacks by different armed groups.

 

Recall that the interior minister, Rauf Aregbesola, said Thursday that the Kuje prison attack occurred despite the fortification of prisons nationwide after a similar attack on the Abolongo prison in Oyo State last October.

 

Hundreds of prisoners who escaped from the Oyo prison are yet to be recaptured.

 

On Friday, the Nigeria Correctional Service published the names and photos of the Boko Haram members who escaped from the Kuje prison.