Defence Minister says all Boko Haram suspects in Kuje Prison have escaped

Bashir Magashi, the Minister of Defence says none of the Boko Haram suspects detained at Kuje prison in Abuja was found after the attack on the facilities on the night of Tuesday, July 5, 2022.

The minister said this while addressing journalists after taking an assessment tour of the facility on Wednesday.

Magashi said over 600 inmates escaped from the facility, adding that all the Boko Haram suspects in the centre have disappeared.

He said, “The attack started around 10:30 pm. They came in their numbers gained entrance into the prison and they released some of the inmates and which we are now following to see the kind of inmates that they have released.

“Very soon, we will give you the correct figure of the inmates that were taken. Aside that, we are trying to see what we can do to ensure that all escapees are returned back.

“The prison is accommodating about 994 inmates and over 600 escaped. Many people have been recaptured and brought back to the prison. Maybe by the close of the day, more will have been captured and returned.

“I think everything is under control. The people who came to do this activity, from the records, we believe they belong to a particular group. Most likely, they are Boko Haram members because we have sizeable number of Boko Haram suspects in detention, and presently we cannot locate any of them.

“I think they are about 64 in the prison and none of them now is available they have all escaped.”

The correctional facility was attacked shortly after gunmen attacked the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari.