Minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola has revealed there were 65 security operatives on guard at the correctional facility in Kuje, federal capital territory (FCT), during the attack by suspected terrorists weeks ago.
Aregbesola who appeared before the house of representatives committees on national security and interior on Monday September 5, said the security operatives on duty on the day of the attack comprised of 31 military personnel of the Nigerian Army, five personnel of MOPOL 21, five personnel of MOPOL 50, two personnel of counter-terrorism unit of the Nigeria Police Force, two personnel of Kuje police division, seven personnel of Nigeria Immigration Service, three personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and 10 personnel of the [NCoS] armed squad.
The Minister further stated that the security operatives were well-armed but could not stop the attack.
He said;
“In that facility on that day of the invasion were 31 military personnel of the Nigerian Army, five personnel of MOPOL 21, five personnel of MOPOL 50, two personnel of counter-terrorism unit of the Nigeria Police Force, two personnel of Kuje police division, seven personnel of Nigeria Immigration Service, three personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and 10 personnel of the [NCoS] armed squad.
“These 65 people were there for the specific responsibility of assisting and preventing any attack and they were all armed.
“Because of the presence of the press here, I will not tell you the great arsenal in their possession but they were well-armed. If we have an exclusive arrangement, I’ll give you the specifics of the great equipment of the military arsenal that was positioned for the defence of the facility.
“However, despite everything, our arrangement for protection of Kuje failed and the facility was breached.”
Aregbesola further revealed that there were 994 inmates in the facility on the day of the attack, out of which 64 were terror suspects; Boko Haram, ISWAP and others.
888 inmates escaped during the attack; including 554 persons awaiting trial, 71 convicts, 36 on death row, and 17 on life imprisonment.
The Minister said 106 inmates refused to leave the facility during the attack, while 28 inmates who left the facility voluntarily returned between July 6 and July 15.
After the minister’s presentation, the committee went into a closed-door meeting.
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