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President Muhammadu Buhari has visited the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Channels Television had reported that the facility recently came under attack by gunmen who freed hundreds of inmates, including 64 Boko Haram members being held in custody.
Shortly before the President’s arrival, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, had told journalists that there were strong indications that terrorists invaded the facility to free their members.
He had also stated that the Federal Government was working hard to ensure that other fleeing inmates were being recaptured and brought back to the facility.
“Most likely, they are Boko Haram because we have a sizeable number of Boko Harams that are in detention,” the minister said.
“Presently, we could not locate any of them. I think there are about 64 Boko Haram (members) in prison, they have all escaped.”
Also, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) had also said one operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and four inmates died during the incident.
NCoS spokesman, Umar Abubakar, in a statement on Wednesday, explained that the terrorists used explosives on the centre’s fence and its main entrance to gain access to the facility.
Noting that a total of 16 inmates and three custodial officers were injured during the attack, Abubakar stated that 879 inmates initially escaped from the facility while 443 of them had been recaptured.
Others are still at large.
“The Service will deploy its Corrections Information Management System in synergy with National Identity Management Commission to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody,” Abubakar stated.
