Kuje Prison Attack: Terrorists Number, Superior Fire-Power Overpowered Security — FG

The Police Affairs Minister Maigari Dingyadi said the terrorists overpowered the minimal security presence at the Kuje Prison as a result of their large number and superior fire-power.

The Minister said this yesterday at the end of an emergency security meeting summoned by President Buhari to review the Kuje Custodial Centre attack.

But he also said the security operatives on ground killed some of the terrorists.

“You see, this kind of things, they happen and I want to assure you all those who are supposed to play a role in ensuring that the attack is neutralised did the best that they could to neutralise it,” Dingyadi said in response to a reporter’s question on why the terrorists could not be stopped.

He added: “I think what helped them was the number of people they came with and the superior weapons they came with.

“And because nobody anticipated it, the few people could not withstand the number that they came with. I think that’s what happened.

“Some of them (terrorists) were killed. But I can’t give you the number and I don’t know the number. Because like they always do, whenever one of them is killed, they take him away and you cannot know the number of people who have been killed. But definitely, quite a number of them were killed and many of them ran way with bullet wounds.”

He said investigation into the incident was continuing, adding: “Like I said, this investigation is still going on. You will only do good to allow the investigation to continue and maybe by the time they finish, you will be able to get the details of what actually happened and why it happened.

“The investigations have already commenced. What I said is that Mr. President has given clear directive to service chiefs to ensure that what happened in Kuje does not reoccur.

“Even when the President went to Kuje, he raised the surprise there. He expressed surprise as to how it happened. And that is why he quickly convened this meeting.

Related: Kuje Prison Attack: Six Top Boko Haram Financiers Among Escapees

“Mr. President has been briefed and he has assured the nation that he is on top of the situation. Whatever is supposed to be done is going to be done and is being done to ensure that those of them that are not yet back are brought back to the Correctional Center.

“And like I said, the security agencies are investigating to find out the immediate and remote causes of what happened, how it happened, whether there is any cause for taking punitive measures against those who are supposed to be…these things will be determined by the outcome of the investigations, which I believe will very soon.”

On the deadline for the investigation, the Police Minister simply said: “As soon as possible. You see, we