KUJE JAIL BREAK: Reps indecisive to Summoned Heads of Security Agencies

By Urube Peter, Abuja

The Joint Committee chairman House of Representatives on National Security and Intelligence, Army, Navy Airfotce and Interior at public hearing, Hon.Ibrahim Sharada has reacted to a motion to summoned security chiefs in such a manner that set the gathering into confusion. The motion regarding whether or not to summoned the nation’s security chiefs of (Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce) to explained efforts and failure to forestall the recent attacked at the Kuje Correctional Service.

The Chairman of the jojnt Committee, in his remarked at the seating stressed, the investigation aimed is to unraveled the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate jail break and escaped of over eight hundred in-mates from Kuje prison.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Correctional facility Services, Maximum Security Prison Kuje Abuja was attacked by criminals suspected to be members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa ISWAP(claimed) on Tuesday July 5, 2022.

Subsequently, the joint House Committees had began an investigative hearing on this matter since August 23, when they invited some heads of security agents and intelligence to appeared before it and testify but they failed to honour the invitation.

This scheduled hearing is making the third on the matter, the joint committee was not comfortable about the absent of the heads of security agents concern again. Thereafter, they went into investigation on a very motion as to whether to summon the Defence Minister, National Security Adviser NSA and other heads of security agencies was moved seconded but later reversed the decision asking the clerk to write again for the last time.

The Chairman of the House jojnt Committee Hon.Ibrahim Sharada, reiterated the house determination in this investiginvestigation to unraveled the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident at Kuje prison.

He informed the stakeholders at the hearing that 888 inmates of Kuje correctional facility had escaped after the invasion.

He noted that many heads of the nation’s security agencies invited to shed light in the matter refused to show up for the invitation by the probe panel.

Hon Sharadas insisted that the House panel would not hesitate to invoke the powers of the parliament under sectional 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) to compelled the officers to come had they fail again!

In view of chairman’s statement, a member of the probe panel Hon Nicholas Ossai immediately moved a motion that the Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser NSA and other heads of security agencies, IGP consistently absent at the hearing be summoned.

The motion which was duly seconded by Hon Anayo Edwin was reversed as the Committee Chairman Hon.Sharada bowed to the submission by Hon Abdul Namdas who said the summon should be on individual officers and seperately done.

The chairman stated that no head of security agency absent at the hearing should be single out for persecution but should rather be reinvited to appear before the panel.

The Committee Chairman later amended the motion and ruled that the invited officials should be reinvited the forth time through another official correspondence.

This infuriated the mover of the motion Hon.Ossai who noted that the ruling by the Committee leader is against the parliamentary practices and procedures.

He opted to and immediately withdraw the motion in displeasure walked out and later returned during the closed door section. So the motion was rescinded and seconded.

Earlier, the Committee had grilled the Minister of Interior Engr Rauf Aregbesola over the unfortunate attack.

The Minister in his brief remark before the panel went into closed doors said that 31 military personnel, 5 Mobile Police, 2 Counter Terrorism of Nigeria Police and 7 Nigeria Correctional Service Personne were guarding the prison and one died during the attack.

He also informed the gathering that 888 inmates escaped out of which 17 were on life imprisonment and 106 others remained.

The chairman informed the joint committee that what precipitated the jail break was the general insecurity pervading the entire country including kidnapping, Boko Haram insurgency and other crimes in the society