Buhari queries, COAS, IGP over Kuje attack
By Ben Ekezie
President Muhammadu Buhari has queried the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali Baba over the collapse of defense and intelligence that led to the attack on Kuje prisons.
In a statement shared on his twitter handle, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity stated that the President expressed his displeasure during his visit at the facility where he was briefed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Mohammad Lamido Belgore and the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa.
According to Shehu, President Buhari openly queried why so many things went wrong. “How did the defenses at the prison fail to prevent the attack? How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watch tower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work? He kept asking the security chiefs.
The President was also informed that the security forces have recaptured 350 of the escapees while about 450 others are still on the run.
After inspecting some of the points impacted by the attack, President Buhari spoke to newsmen, expressing disappointment with the intelligence system (and utilization).
He said “I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it?”
The President, accompanied by Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, said at the end of the visit that he is expecting “a comprehensive report” on the incident.”
