Maina, Osinachi’s husband, Wadume, popular inmates at Kuje prison

Kuje Prison has been trending since terrorists attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre in the nation’s capital, on Tuesday night.

Hundreds of inmates, including all the Boko Haram members in custody, were freed in the attack.

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There were reports that some the high-profile inmates had escaped until the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Umar Abubakar, confirmed that they were still in custody.

Daily Trust lists some of the prominent inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje.

ABBA KYARI

Abba Kyari, Deputy Commissioner of Police and former head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over his alleged involvement in the 25 kg cocaine deal.

A federal high court had on March 28 remanded Kyari and four others at a correctional centre after their bail application was refused.

JOSHUA DARIYE

In 2007, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred 23 counts of money laundering and alleged diversion of about N1.26 billion Plateau State Government’s ecological funds against Dariye, a former governor.

Eleven years later, an FCT Court handed a 14-year jail term to Dariye. The sentence was then appealed and eventually the Supreme Court gave a final verdict of a 10 years sentence for the offence committed. He was serving his sentence in Kuje, but on April 14, 2022, the federal government granted him a presidential pardon. However, he is still in custody while perfecting his exit.

PETER NWACHUKWU

A Federal Capital Territory High Court had ordered that Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi, be remanded in Kuje Custodal Centre.

Nwachuckwu was remanded pending the hearing and determination of the alleged homicide charge filed against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Nwachukwu was arrested by the Nigeria Police after his wife died on April 8 following widespread allegations by their children, family and colleagues that he battered her leading to her death.

ABDULRASHEED MAINA

A former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force Team is being remanded at the Kuje Custodial Centre, pending the conclusion of his trial.

Maina, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC on N2bn money laundering charges, had earlier jumped bail and fled to the Republic of Niger.

He was extradited to Nigeria about two weeks after the court revoked his bail, ordered his arrest and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence pending when security agencies would be able to apprehend him.

JOLLY NYAME

Upon leaving office in 2007, Nyame, a two-term governor of Taraba State, was charged with N1.64 billion fraud,  Nyame admitted to misappropriating N180 million out of N250 million meant for stationaries in Taraba State and offered to return the same.

On May 30, 2018, Nyame was convicted by the High court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, under the ruling of Justice Adebukola Banjoko for the charges against him and was sentenced to 14 years in Kuje prison. He was asked to refund the monies he diverted.

In November 2018, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed his conviction on 29 counts.

On 7 February 2020, the Supreme Court affirmed the 12-year jail term judgment and set aside the fines imposed on him by the courts on the grounds that they were outrageous and done without any prompting.

Like, Dariye, Nyame was also granted a presidential pardon, though he is still in custody.

WADUME

Hamisu Bala better known as Wadume is a kidnap kingpin almost in the class of Evans. He was based in Taraba State but operated across the northern part of the country.

He was arrested in August 2019 by the IRT and preliminary investigation revealed that he supplied arms and ammunition to terrorists.

While he was being taken to Abuja for further investigation, police vehicle conveying him came under attack at a checkpoint manned by soldiers after passing the first military checkpoint.

The soldiers at the second checkpoint said they were alerted that the occupants of the vehicle were kidnappers who had just kidnapped Wadume in his house and were taking him away to a hideout.

Soldiers opened fire on the vehicle and three police officers and two civilians were killed while five others were injured. Wadume was freed by the soldiers but was later rearrested.

He was arraigned on June 8, 2020 along with six others on a 13 count-charge bordering on terrorism and remanded in Kuje.