From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to probe the recent attack on Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, by suspected terrorists.
Consequently, the House mandated its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Interior, Reformatory Services, Defence, Army, Airforce, Navy and Police to investigate the attack and report back to the House within four weeks, for further legislative actions. The House also charged the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the National Security Summit it organised in 2021.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Sha’aban I. Sharada on “Need to Investigate the Terrorists Attack on Nigerian Correctional Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje”.
Sharada, in his motion, informed the House that that on July 5, suspected terrorists attacked the Kuje Custodial Centre in the FCT and freed some of the inmates.
The lawmaker noted that Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi, (retd), during an assessment visit to the custodial centre “stated that over 600 inmates, including 64 Boko Haram suspects, out of about 994 inmates accommodated in the custodial Centre, escaped.”
He expressed worry that the incident has made the “the country and the Federal Capital Territory, in particular, vulnerable and under the fear of attacks, risk intimidation and all sorts of threats, due to the large number of criminal escapees in the country.”
Sharada added that it was worrisome that “the Kuje custodial centre attack and its terrible outcome, along with several related crimes against national security, are on the increase, despite stakeholders commitment towards equipping the national security enforcement and intelligence community with significant appropriation of funds.”