President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his disappointment with Nigerian intelligence following the attacks on Kuje prison by suspected Boko-Haram terrorists.
The sect, for the most part, stormed the medium-security prison on Tuesday night with high explosives and managed to free their accomplices along with 600 other inmates.
One casualty has been recorded by security operations, while four bodies of escaped inmates were later recorded.
President Buhari visits Kuje prison after the attack on the facility.
In his usual tone, Buhari condemned the attack after his visit to the site on Wednesday. He questioned the competence of Nigerian security agents.
The president, who left for Dakar, Senegal, shortly after his visit, expressed shock at the attackers’ courage and raised questions about the ease with which the non-state actors’ operation expanded.
In a statement signed by his spokesman, Garba Shehuon Wednesday, Mr. Buhari called for a full report on the shocking development.
Kuje Medium Prison entrance torn down by suspected Boko-Haram terrorists.
“How could the prison defenses not prevent the attack? How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many staff did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards at the watchtower? What did you do? Does CCTV work?
“I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security facility and get away with it? the president inquired.
Kuje Medium Prison facility overrun by suspected Boko-Haram terrorists.
While many of the questions raised by the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces remain unanswered, PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that more than 400 of the inmates, including 64 members of the Biko-Haram terrorist group, remain at large.
Responding to many Nigerians who felt the president should have canceled his scheduled trip to Senegal as a form of solidarity, his spokesman said the government cannot stop working because of such an attack.
“The Presidency wishes to take this opportunity to react to the growing criticism of the President’s trip to Dakar, Senegal, and to emphasize that governments do not stop working because nations face terrorist threats.
“Cancelling the trip to Senegal would mean that the terrorists succeed in making the decisions, something that no responsible government in the world will allow,” Shehu said.
