The terrorists who attacked the Kuje prison succeeded because they had superior fire power – Police Affairs Minister

Minister of Police affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi says the gunmen who attacked the correctional facility in Kuje council area of the federal capital territory (FCT), came with superior weapons.

The correctional facility was attacked on Tuesday night and many inmates about 600 including all Boko Haram members escaped.

Speaking with journalists on Friday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Dingyadi said the gunmen came in numbers that nobody anticipated. 

The minister said those on duty at the facility tried their best but were overpowered by the attackers, adding that some of the attackers were killed.

“I want to assure you that 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,” he said.

“I think what helped them was the number of people they came with and the superior weapons that they came with. And because nobody anticipated it, the few people who were there guarding the place could not withstand the number that they came with. I think that was what happened.

“Mr. President was deeply concerned about these developments, and he initiated this meeting to enable security agencies, the service chiefs, inspector-general of police, to brief the council on what actually happened and the way forward.

“We had a very successful meeting and the council has agreed to take proactive measures that will ensure that repeat of what happened these few days would not be witnessed anymore.”

The minister also said the president is surprised that what happened in Kuje actually took place “in spite of all the security arrangements that have been made to ensure that such an incident does not happen”.