Buhari summons defence chief over Kuje prison break

President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned the service chiefs to an emergency meeting in the wake of the jailbreak at the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre, Abuja, and the attack on the President’s advance convoy in his home state, Katsina.

At least 800 inmates, including 64 terrorists, were set free by members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during Tuesday’s night attack at the facility. Over 400 of the escapees were captured while others, including the terrorists, are still at large.

President Buhari had expressed disappointment at the country’s “correctional system” when he visited the attacked facility on Wednesday before departing for Dakar, Senegal to attend the opening dialogue of African Heads of State on Development Challenges and Priorities at the International Development Association Summit for Africa.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan described the attack as being “symptomatic of the failure of security failure”, adding that “it may not be far away from an insider job, someone who is either working in this place or must have worked here.”

In attendance at the meeting with the President are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Farouk Yahaya; Chief Air Staff, Air Marshall Isiaka Amao; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.