Terrorists negotiated with FG to release members before Kuje prison attack — Source

Kingsley Chukwuka

July 8, 2022 4:31 AM

An official of Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre who does not want his name mentioned revealed that the Boko Haram terrorists negotiated the release of their members held captive in Kuje Prison Abuja before carrying out the attack.

Kuje prison was attacked on Tuesday, July 5, 2020 (TheCable)

The official said it was in the midst of the negotiation that the terrorists, apparently to show their seriousness, when the federal government was foot dragging, bombed the Kaduna-Abuja train.

Recalling that the first video released by the bandits after bombing the train and kidnapping some of the passengers, the source quoted the Boko Haram members as saying, “Government know what we want”.

The Correctional Service source also disclosed that after the first video, subsequent clips also quoted the bandits to have said “Government should exchange the kidnapped train passengers with their members in the Kuje Prison.

“I wonder why the prison was not fortified after these threats and negotiations. Other steps would have been taken like relocating the Boko Haram inmates to another facility unknown to anyone”.

Recall that the Islamic State West Africa Province, (ISWAP), a terrorist group operating in parts of Nigeria, has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack on the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre.

In a viral twitter video shared by the group, inmates were seen fleeting the facility amidst the chants of Allah Akbar by the terrorists, who according to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore carried out the attack to set free their members held within the center.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Umar Abubakar,had said over 400 of the escaped inmates have been recaptured while 443 are still at large.

About 16 inmates who sustained various degrees of injuries are said to be receiving treatment.

However, the 64 Boko-Haram members previously held in the facility who were released by the invaders are still at large

Kingsley Chukwuka