Five killed, 879 inmates escaped after attack on Kuje Prison – FG

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has said one personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), attached to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje was killed when terrorists attacked the facility on Tuesday night.

The spokesperson for the NCoS, Umar Abubakar, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

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According to him, four inmates were also killed during the attack that lasted for hours.

He said the attackers, who used explosive devices and came through the main entrance and the fence of the facility respectively, also left three personnel of the Service seriously injured.

“A total of 879 inmates escaped from the facility during the unfortunate attack.

“As at the time of this report, 443 have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 4 inmates dead and 16 inmates sustained various degrees of injuries and are being treated at the moment.

“However, efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates,” Abubakar said.

He said as of the time of the attack on the Kuje facility, 38 military personnel were on the ground in addition to the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Civil Defence, DSS and NCoS’ Armed Squad.

The NCoS spokesman said the Service would deploy its Corrections Information Management System (CIMS) in synergy with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody.

He also confirmed that DCP Abba Kyari and other VIPs held in the facility did not escape, saying “they are presently in custody, hale and hearty”.

While disclosing that some of the attackers were killed while some escaped with gunshot wounds, Abubakar appealed to “hospitals and other medical institutions and practitioners to report anyone that comes to them for treatment for gunshot injuries to the nearest law enforcement agency.”