The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Mohammed Monguno (rtd) in the early hours of Wednesday led a team of security officials and the Minister of Defence, Major Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd), to the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja which was attacked on Tuesday night by gunmen.
Security forces comprising military personnel, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Armed Squad of the Nigeria Correctional Service have visited the facility and Kuje community in search of the fleeing inmates.
It was gathered that over 600 high-profile Boko Haram terrorists being kept at the facility were missing during the sudden attack according to the officials who briefed visiting security chiefs.
The identities of the fleeing inmates are yet to be established as of press time, but there has been concern over the whereabouts of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, after the attack as he was being kept at the Kuje Correctional Centre as at the time of the incident.
According to a prison official, “We have not seen him today. He didn’t also come for Subhi (early morning) prayer as usual. But I don’t know what is happening.”
Another official, who preferred anonymity, simply said that the whereabouts of Kyari remained unknown to him.
The Kuje prison is famous for holding high-profile inmates and suspects, including former governors and ministers and it was said to be accommodating over 900 inmates at the time of the incident on Tuesday night. The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, confirmed that none of the Boko Haram suspects detained at Kuje prison was found after the attack while the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mr Shuaibu Belgore, also confirmed that about 600 inmates escaped from the correctional centre
