Kuje jail break: Reps probe, Summon NSA, Military Chiefs over failure to appear

Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives Committee on Security and Intelligence yesterday dig deeper into the attack on the Kuje Correctional Facility by unknown gunmen, even as it Summoned the National Security Adviser, (NSA) and serving Military Chiefs who failed to appeared  on Monday for the investigative hearing

Recalled that Kuje Correctional Centre was attacked on Tuesday, 6th July 2022; which happened to be the latest series of attack on Correctional Facilities in the country.

More than 30 armed men were said to be on ground during the incident, including officials of the Centre, Police and Immigration officers, Civil Defence and Mobile Policemen.

The Committee Chairman, Sha’aban Sharada was mandated by the House at plenary to identify the extent of damages, to which appropriate authorities within the national security sector have played their roles in responding to the incident as well as to establish the exact number of escapees and casualties recorded.

But at the resumption of the committee’s investigative hearing which was at the instance of the service chiefs who failed to appear during previous sitting, the security heads again, failed to appear before the lawmakers without a formal notice, which infuriated members.

The Committee is concerned that the attack which lasted for several hours did not record any formidable resistance from the security personnel deployed to the facility neither was there adequate response from the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) despite proximity of the Nigerian Airforce station at the international airport to the scene of incident

The Chairman of the Committee said “This situation is therefore very disturbing, embarrassing and also raises serious concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire national security architecture especially given the  location of their headquarters in the FCT,” the chairman stated.

Sha’aban assured that the committee will not spare anything in order to trace the circumstances that led to the ugly incident saying; “deliberate efforts would be made to ascertain the current security situation within and around the facility, measures put in place to safeguard the reoccurrence around the facility and other similar facilities around the country.”

At the commencement of the investigative hearing, the committee chairman asked that journalists excused the meeting, but a member of the committee, Rep Ifeanyi Momo, (Ihiala Fed Constituency) Anambra state moved a point of order for the press to remain in attendance citing constitutional provisions to the effect

His motion which was unanimously adopted however, did not last long as he was asked to withdraw it for behind the door hearing when the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola began his presentation

The Minister however, told the lawmakers how heavily armed, the combined security personnel on duty were on the day of the attack and was about to explain reasons for their failure to repel the invaders when he was obstructed by the chairman for the meeting to continue behind closed doors.