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Army Blames Kuje Prison Break On Absence Of CCTV, low fence

Published

2 years ago

March 21, 2024

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UBy Gloria Ikibah

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has blamed the attack on Kuje Correctional Custodial Centre in Abuja low fencing and absence of CCTV within the general area.

These he said were some of the things that was observed and was not in place before the incident occurred in 2022.

The Army Chief disclosed this during a one-day investigative hearing on two motions, “Decongestion of Correctional Centres in Nigeria” and “Call on the Nigerian Correctional Service to Account for Inmates that escaped from Kuje custodial facility”, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The hearing was organised by the Joint House of Representatives Committees on Reformatory Institutions, Justice, Police Affairs, Interior and Human Rights.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that terrorists broke into the facility on July 5, 2022, and freed hundreds of inmates, including Boko Haram members.

He further stated that prior to that incident, the Nigeria Army through the Guards Brigade Commander, had written series of letters to the Deputy Controller General concerning some of the security observations about the facility.

“We know that the Deputy Controller General is doing is everything possible to see if most of these equipment that would enhance the security is provided. However it was still on the process when the incident happened.

“One of those things was the issue of lightning. During the period, we noticed that there was no lightning within the general area. It’s not as if it was deliberate. Efforts were being made by the Deputy Controller to see if we could find solutions to some of these challenges.

“We also observed that the place where the Kuje Prison is located is more of a built up area and that gives room for a serious security challenge where a lot of civilians are living among the prison environment.

“These are some of the challenges the environment created. We also observed issues of low fencing and CCTV absence within the general area. These are some of the things that we observed and these things were unable to be put in place before the incident. I want to believe that these things would have assisted the guards”.

Lagbaja, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Commercial Law, in the Directorate of Nigerian Army Legal Services, Major Peter Ogbuinya said the situation does not call for trading blame but aimed at getting a possible solution and forestalling a similar occurrence.

He said: “We the Nigerian Army are playing a complementary role to the correctional centre by virtue of provision of guards to assist the correctional centre.

“However in the Correctional Centre, Kuje to be precise, Nigeria Army is not the only security agency that is deployed there. There are other sister agencies that were also deployed. Unfortunately the day the incident took place, there is what we call rotation among the troops, rotation of troops. Take for instance the end of every month, troops would be rotated. New soldiers would be brought in to replace the old ones.

“Unfortunately it was that day during the period of rotation that the incident actually took place. I wouldn’t want to comment on the possibility or otherwise of having an insider, looking at the period the incident took place”.

According to him, soldiers that were deployed at the time were still being probed and if found culpable in the incident would be appropriately punished.

“On our own side, the troops that we deployed are under investigation and the military hierarchy is still working on possibly finding out if there is any of the soldiers that had failed to do what they were expected to do and possibly disciplinary action taken but as it is, it is still within the military hierarchy and military courts to look at the matter critically to know if the soldiers that were deployed had done the needful,” he added.

The Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, who stressed the need for the decongestion of the correctional facilities, said Nigeria has a total inmate population of 78, 519 against a capacity of 64, 192.

The CG wasr epresented by the Deputy Controller General, Training and Staff Development, Tukur Mohammed Ahmad,

He said, “The decongestion of custodial centres has become the concern of all and sundry partly due to the unending challenges it causes to the criminal justice system in Nigeria. Efforts are put in place by the Federal Government to cut costs of feeding the inmates which often runs into billions of naira annually.

“The NCOS maintains 265 custodial centres across the country, with the capacity of 64, 192 against a total inmate population of 78, 519 as at March 18, 2024. Of this actual inmate population, 70 percent represents persons on awaiting trial.”

He said to achieve the speedy decongestion of the correctional centres in the country, there is need for the completion of the 3000 capacity new custodial centres that are built across the six geopolitical zones.

Increased unding he said was needed by the Service to achieve these

Earlier, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, lauded the Committees for their joint efforts on the fact-finding mission to the root of the overcrowding nature of correctional centres in addition to the inmates that escaped from Kuje custodial facility, two years ago which left the nation in utter embarrassment.

He said the ultimate objective of the investigative hearing is to examine the activities of the correctional service in order to promote accountability, transparency and responsiveness in the running of the agency for enhanced service delivery, contribute significantly to the overall progress and development of our country.

Chairman of the Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Comrade Chinedu Ogah, said the congestion of custodial facilities across the country is an affront to human rights and a major drawback of the criminal justice system with very dire consequences.

Ogah said incessant violations of correctional centres and inmates escape are extremely embarrassing and a security threat to the nation.

He expressed their resolve for a holistic overhauling of the system for effective and purposeful justice delivery and for optimal performance of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

“I wish to assure you that the Committee with the strongest support of the Leadership of the House, led by Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (PhD) is poised to engage all legislative tools at its disposal to ensure effective and efficient criminal justice system second to none in the world,” he said.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who was represented by Mrs Ayola Daniels said efforts have been ongoing towards decongestion of correctional centres nationwide.

He said the Ministry of Justice supported the efforts to decentralise the correctional service to allow states establish and manage their own correctional centres.

This, he said, was achieved through the alteration of the constitution that moved the correctional service from exclusive to concurrent list.

He said this is expected to fast track the decongestion of Correctional centres nationwide when properly implemented.

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Atiku’s camp angry as El-Rufai spends 200 days in prison

Published

21 minutes ago

September 5, 2026

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The camp of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has kicked against the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The former Kaduna governor has spent 200 days in detention since he was taken into the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.

A statement by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, said El-Rufai is entitled to justice, due process and equal treatment under the law.

He described the former governor as a political prisoner, alleging that he is being detained simply because he decided to chart a different political path, as provided for in Nigeria’s Constitution.

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2027: Christian, Muslim youths sign peace accord in Abuja

Published

38 minutes ago

September 5, 2026

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The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) and the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) have signed a peace accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The historic signing took place at the National Christian Centre on Friday in Abuja during the 2026 National Christian Youth Security Summit and Thanksgiving Service, held under the theme: “Empowered for Leadership, Service and Nation Building.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the peace accord aimed at fostering religious tolerance, rejecting political violence, and promoting peaceful coexistence ahead of the 2027 elections.

The three-day summit, brought together security officials, government representatives, Church leaders, and youth delegates from across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), five CAN blocs, and six geopolitical zones.

Delivering his welcome address, the National Chairman of YOWICAN, Ven. Evang. Ademola Arowolo, described the peace accord as a “covenant of hope and a declaration of unity” designed to curb electoral violence and interfaith friction from the national level down to the grassroots.

”Today marks a defining moment in the history of youth engagement, faith-based leadership, national security advocacy, and interfaith collaboration in Nigeria.

“This Peace Accord represents more than a document. It is a covenant of hope, a declaration of unity, and a collective commitment by Christian and Muslim youths to work together in promoting peace, justice, dialogue, tolerance, and national development.”

Addressing newsmen during an interview, Arowolo emphasised the sanctity of human life and urged young people to resist political thuggery and vote-buying as the country prepares for the next electoral cycle.

”The key objective of today’s gathering is for the Christian youth of this country to sit down and see that security is very important, because every life whether of a Muslim, a Christian, or any other faith is sacred.

“God Himself does not divide us; it is human beings that divide us in their own mindsets.

“An idle man is the devil’s workshop, but as elections approach, if somebody meets you for any violence, tell them your children should not come. We cannot destroy our own land,” he said.

Corroborating the commitment, the National President of NACOMYO, Sani Sulaiman-Maigoro, stressed that interfaith solidarity remained the most viable tool to defeat security threats and political manipulation.

”First and foremost is for us to accept the reality that we are first Nigerians, and Nigeria is our country. Together we live and prosper, and when we are divided, we all suffer.

“When we work together, we are able to defeat the negative narrative and those few people who choose to be evil and divide us along religious, ethnic, or sectional lines.

“Nigerian Muslim youths are here in solidarity with Christian youths to say we are together towards securing and making Nigeria a better place for all,” he said.

Representing President Bola Tinubu, and First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, cautioned young people against allowing politicians to use them as instruments of destruction.

”We are meeting at a very crucial time in the history of our great nation a period when we are moving towards another election

“It should be a period that none of you will be used as a sacrificial lamb. We don’t want any politician to use you and waste your life.

“The Muslim and the Christian in Nigeria must work together; we are brothers and sisters, and it is only when you have peace that you can talk of progress.”

The President of CAN, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, urged Christian youths to rise as nation-builders and moral exemplars.

Okoh, represented by Rev. Simon Dolly-KIF, the Secretary-General of Northern Christian Religious Leaders Assembly (NOCRELA), urged youths to rise beyond the limitations of yesterday.

“The time has come for Nigerian Christian youths to rise beyond the limitations of yesterday and embrace the responsibility of building the Nigeria we desire to see tomorrow.

“Let no Christian youth become an instrument of violence, hatred, manipulation, or destruction.

“We must refuse to be recruited into anything that destroys the lives and future of our fellow Nigerians. Nigeria is bigger than our ethnicity, denomination, and political differences.”

Highlighting the security perspective, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), noted that peace was essential for youth productivity.

Muse, represented by Mr Musa Likita, Special Adviser on Security and Intelligence to the Minister of Defence, recognised the important role of the youth in national development under a whole-of-society approach.

“The youth are full of energy, creativity, and innovation, so they will thrive better when the environment is peaceful.

“Youths are implored to hold values where they will not allow themselves to be exploited by extremist forces or criminal elements.”

(NAN)

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Rep Ugochinyere Takes ‘Operation Light Up Ideato’ to Seven Communities

Published

6 hours ago

September 4, 2026

Gloria Ikibah

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By Gloria Ikibah

Member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has expanded his electricity intervention programme to seven communities with the installation of 500KVA transformers and other power infrastructure.

The latest phase of the Operation Light Up Ideato initiative covers Ogwume, Dikenafai and Akpulu, where transformers, electricity cables and other essential components are being installed to improve power supply.

The intervention cuts across Ideato North and Ideato South, with the latest installations building on earlier projects in Umuopia, Obodoukwu, Abukwa and Umukegwu.

The completion of the transformer installation in Akpulu, alongside ongoing work in Ogwume and Dikenafai, brings the number of communities reached by the initiative to seven.

According to the lawmaker, “the expansion underscored his “commitment to addressing critical infrastructure needs at the grassroots and ensuring that communities that have long experienced inadequate electricity infrastructure are not left behind.

“Unlike a one-off intervention, Operation Light Up Ideato is being implemented as a continuing community focused programme, with more transformers expected to be supplied and installed in additional communities identified as being in need.”

The programme is aimed at improving electricity infrastructure in communities that have faced inadequate power supply, while supporting economic and social activities at the grassroots.

Speaking on the continued expansion of the initiative, Ugochinyere, who is also Chairman, House Committee on Downstream Petroleum, reaffirmed his determination to ensure that every community in Ideato requiring electricity infrastructure is eventually covered.

He stressed that the objective was to progressively close the gap in power availability across the federal constituency.

The latest intervention adds to ongoing constituency projects by the lawmaker aimed at addressing basic infrastructure needs across Ideato North and South.