The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has explained how terrorists overpowered 65 military personnel to attack the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja on July 5.
KEMI FILANI NEWS recalls that the terrorists killed several people and set free over 600 inmates of the Kuje custodial centre, including 64 high-profile Boko Haram members.
Aregbesola said the personnel, which comprised the Army, Air Force, NSCDC and others, were heavily armed but still failed to defend the facilities against the terrorists.
The minister stated this on Monday when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
The former Osun State Governor 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,”