The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has revealed how terrorists that attacked the Kuje Correctional facility, Abuja on July 5.
The terrorists orchestrated the attack from Karishi, a community, which is about 65.6 kilometres away from the prisons.
Recall that over 600 inmates of the custodial centre, including 64 high profile Boko Haram members, were set free by the gunmen, who also killed several people.
The terrorists also disarmed 31 military personnel protecting the prison.
According to Aregbesola the personnel, which comprised the Army, Air Force, NSCDC and others were heavily armed but still failed to defend the facilities.
The minister spoke when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence on Monday.
Aregbesola declined to disclose the type of weapons at the disposal of the terrorists in the presence of the media.
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 personal of MOPOL 50, two personnel of counter-terrorism unit of the Nigeria police, two personnel of Kuje police division, seven personnel of Nigeria Immigration Service, three personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), 10 personnel of correction armed square.
“These 65 people were there for the specific responsibility of assisting and preventing any attack and they were all armed.
“These 65 people were posted to protect the prison from any attack and they were all armed. Because of the presence of the press, I will not mention the specific arsenal at their disposal,” he said.
The members of the Committee resolved that an executive session be held to interface with the minister.
The House had mandated its committee to investigate the circumstances of the attack.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Sha’ban, earlier in his speech, disclosed that the committee visited the prison for an on-the-spot assessment.
The minister expressed concern over the absence of some heads of security agencies, but the committee resolved to summon the security heads for the last time.
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