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Tag: Kuje

  • PHOTO: Police rearrest Kuje prison escapee in Adamawa

    PHOTO: Police rearrest Kuje prison escapee in Adamawa

    The Police Command in Adamawa has rearrested a 23–year-old Kuje Prison escapee, Abubakar Muhammad in Mubi Local Government Area of the state.

    The Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande disclosed this during the handing over of the escaped prisoner to the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), on Thursday in Yola.

    He said the escapee was arrested by operatives of the command on Wednesday on his way to his home in Bama in Borno State.

    “The suspect who escaped from Kuje Prison during the recent Prison attack was tracing his way to Bama Local Government Area, Borno state through Adamawa border.

    “The suspect further confessed to have been in Kuje Prison custody since 2017 following allegation of terrorism leveled against him,” he said.

    The CP further said the Command’s operatives attached to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and Crack Squad also apprehended 12 kidnapping and robbery suspects in the past one week in the state.

    He said the police recovered one AK-47 Rifle, 15 ammunitions, one locally made pistol, one Den gun, tricycle and military camouflage from the suspects.

    He said the suspects would be prosecuted upon completion of investigations.

    While commending the people for their support to the command, Akande reut6rated commitment to protect lives and property in the state.

  • Kuje jail break: Police nab fleeing inmate, Ebube in Benue

    Kuje jail break: Police nab fleeing inmate, Ebube in Benue

    The Police Command in Benue has arrested Jude Ebube who escaped during the Kuje jail break.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson on Thursday, SP Sewuese Anene in Makurdi.

    She said that on July 19 at about 3p.m., information was received about one Ebube Igwe Jude, a fugitive who had arrived Makurdi as a result of Kuje jail break.

    Anene said that the detectives deployed to investigate the case arrested him at George Akume way in Makurdi.

    “During investigation, he confessed to have escaped from Kuje Correctional Centre during the jail break.

    “He stated further that he is an awaiting trial inmate, standing trial in a case of culpable homicide involving his girlfriend,” Anene said.

    She further said that the command had begun processes to hand him over to the Nigeria Correctional Service for necessary actions.

    Reps to investigate attack on Kuje correctional centre

    Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the attack on the Nigerian  Correctional Medium Security Custodial Centre (NCSMSCC) in Kuje.

    This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Sha’aban Sharada (APC-Kano) at the plenary in Abuja, on Thursday, following the recent attack on Kuje Prison by suspected terrorists.

    It would be recalled that on July 5, 2022, terrorists attacked the NCSMSCC in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

    Sharada expressed worry that the development made the country and the FCT  in particular,  vulnerable and under the fear of attacks, risk, intimidation and all sorts of threats.

    He said this was due to large number of criminal escapees in the country.

    He raised concerns over enormous resources expended by the Federal Government toward ensuring public security and welfare.

    He expressed worries that the Kuje custodial centre attack and its terrible outcome along with several related crimes against national security were on the increase.

    This, he said, was despite stakeholders commitment toward equipping the
    national security enforcement and intelligence community with significant appropriation of funds.

    He said that public peace and safety would continue to be threatened if urgent steps were not taken to address the situation.

    The house therefore, urged the Federal Government to implement the laudable recommendations of the National Security Summit organised by the leadership of the House of Representatives in 2021.

    The house said that this came with broad national stakeholder participation.

    The house mandated the Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Interior, Reformatory Services, Defence, Army, Airforce and Navy to investigate the causes.

    The house also urged the committee to look at the dimensions and effects of the unfortunate Kuje custodial centre attack and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

  • Kuje jailbreak: Senate directs NCS to install CCTV in all correctional centers

    Kuje jailbreak: Senate directs NCS to install CCTV in all correctional centers

    The Senate has directed the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) to make provision for Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in all correctional centers in its 2023 budget to tackle reoccurring attacks in the country.

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan said this on Thursday after an assessment visit to the Medium Security Custodial Centre Kuje, following Tuesday’s attack that led to the escape of about 800 inmates.

    Lawan expressed shock over none functional CCTV at the facility and described the attack as disappointing and a sign of failure of the security system.

    “An attack on the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, can only have been possible with the collaboration of insiders within the nation’s correctional system.

    “The attack on this correctional facility is symptomatic of the failure of security architecture. The attack is only a culmination of the failure.

    “We were told that an estimated 300 suspected terrorists attacked this facility. They came on foot and I believe they should have been detected.

    “In the first place, 300 people will not come for an operation like this without planning. Planning must have taken a week, a month or a bit more.

    “I believe that our security agencies should have picked this from their tracking systems in the FCT,” Lawan said.

    He added: “Secondly, having gone round the facility itself, we are disappointed that this facility does not have CCTV cameras, something that would record and give you details of what is happening and sometimes record the events.

    “This is a medium-security custodial center, how on earth in the FCT facility of this magnitude we don’t have CCTV? It means we can say that all other medium security centers across the country do not have CCTV.

    “We have asked the Comptroller General of Correctional Service to ensure that the request for CCTV at the maximum and medium custodial centres of the country are included in their 2023 budget because this is essential and indispensable.

    “Now, as this facility lacks a functional CCTV, there’s no record of what happened, except narration. But if we had CCTV, at least the records would have been there and analysis made, and arrest will be based on the information from the CCTV.”

    Lawan tasked the security agencies to ensure that the inmates who escaped from the center were brought back.

    Speaking earlier, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Army Battalion in Gwagwalada, Lt.Col. Adisa, told the Senate leadership that over 300 suspected insurgents attacked on the facility on Tuesday.

    “Only a total of 50 security personnel were on ground when they came armed with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and other weapons,” he said.

  • Kuje facility: Nigerian Correctional Service confirms attack, says situation under control

    Kuje facility: Nigerian Correctional Service confirms attack, says situation under control

    The Nigerian Correctional Service has confirmed the attack on the  Kuje correctional facility in the area council of the Federal Capital Territory, stating that the situation has been put under control.

    This was disclosed by Umar Abubakar, Nigerian Correctional Service spokesperson, on Wednesday.

    He stated that the armed squad of the service in collaboration with other security agencies responded to the attack. adding that calm had been returned to the area.

    The statement reads, “I wish to confirm that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory.

    “However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial Centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.

     

  • Suspended DCP Abba Kyari out, other inmates missing after Kuje prison bombing

    Suspended DCP Abba Kyari out, other inmates missing after Kuje prison bombing

    After the attack on the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja by gunmen on Tuesday night, most of the 700 inmates at the facility have reportedly escaped.

    The gunmen in commando-style attacked the correction centre with explosives and sporadic gunshots.

    According to reports, other inmates, including the suspended deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari, who was remanded at the prison by a Federal High Court, have been removed from the facility.

    Kyari is standing trial for allegedly dealing in cocaine alongside four members of his former police unit, the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), and two other persons arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, in January this year.

    Residents close to the area said the heavy gunshots started at about 10 pm and lasted close to an hour. They said it was not clear who the gunmen are but believed to be some criminal elements.

    Details about the casualties suffered in the attack were still sketchy at the time of filing this report, but one of the qouted Sahara Reporters ‘inside sources’ said many inmates were able to escape.

    “The place was completely ruined and all the inmates have left the facility for now, including Abba Kyari,” a source reportedly said.

    “Most of the inmates have escaped from the facility; it is sad. It houses over 700 inmates,” another source said.

    Earlier, while the attack was going on, one of our sources had said, “Can you hear the gunshot? We are under serious attack.”

    Meanwhile, the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr Abubakar Umar has confirmed the attack.

    In a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, Umar confirmed that the yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the prison at about 10 pm.

    “However, men of the Armed Squad of the NCoS and other security agencies attached to the Custodial centre have responded.

    “Calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control. Details will be made available soon,” he said.

  • My life at risk in prison – Suspended DCP, Kyari

    My life at risk in prison – Suspended DCP, Kyari

    The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and former Commander – Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari has alleged a threat to his life at the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kuje.

    Kyari lamented that he is not safe sharing the same correctional facility with criminals.

    The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, disclosed this while urging an Abuja Federal High Court to review his bail application initially rejected.

    Kyari’s remark was contained in a document presented to the Abuja Federal High Court by his lawyer, Nureini Jimoh.

    The document reads partly: “At the centre, the applicants who were head and deputy head of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force met stiff resistance, attack and open threats to the lives of the applicants by series head (sic) of criminal gang that they had busted.

    “There is no correctional centre that the criminals that have been arrested by the IRT under the headship of the applicant in furtherance of their constitutional and statutory duties as police officers cannot be found and there is a high likelihood of threat to the lives of the applicants.”

    In March, the court had ordered that Kyari be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pending the conclusion of his trial.

    He was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on February 12 and was arraigned on March 7 over allegations of drug trafficking.

  • FCT police uncovers kidnappers den in Kuje forest

    FCT police uncovers kidnappers den in Kuje forest

    The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, police command has uncovered a kidnappers’ den in a forest within the Kuje area of Abuja.

    Disclosing this in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, the command said its operatives rescued at least eleven (11) abductees kidnapped in Gwargwada community, Kuje area of the territory on February 17, 2022.

    The PPRO explained that the operation, which occurred on Saturday, followed prompt response by the command towards a report that some members of the community were whisked into the forest by unscrupulous and misguided criminal elements.

    She said the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, FCT Command, CP Babaji Sunday, had directed the operatives to further comb the forest to arrest the criminal elements and rescue other victims.

    According to her, the rescued victims are already receiving necessary medical evaluations and would be reunited with their families as soon as they are confirmed medically stable.

    “The Commissioner of Police, while registering the Command’s unflinching commitment to combating crimes and criminality in the FCT, calls on residents to remain vigilant and to cooperate with the police, especially on the rendition of prompt and useful information on any suspicious occurrence through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653 and 08028940883. While the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) desk could be reached on: 09022222352”, she added.

  • Kuje APC candidate cries foul of FCT Council Area Poll

    Kuje APC candidate cries foul of FCT Council Area Poll

    Mr Amido Sarki, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kuje Chairmanship candidate in the Saturday’s FCT Area Councils Poll has cried foul of the exercise.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Sarki as expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of enough polling units in his voting centre in Gaube, Kuje.

    Sarki also expressed dissatisfaction over the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Speaking with newsmen on Saturday in Kuje, he said the voting centre with over 1000 accredited voters has only one voting point, thereby making the exercise very slow and frustrating for the electorate.

    According to him, the INEC should not have introduced the BVAs in the area councils election without proper testing and verification.

    “If the challenge is not properly addressed, people may not have the opportunity to cast their votes in good time.

    “I advise INEC to also ensure that everyone in the queue should be allowed to vote before they stop the exercise.

    “INEC should have split the unit into smaller units to facilitate the process, where more machines can be made available,” he said.

    FCT election: Sorting, vote counting in progress in AMAC

    Meanwhile, sorting and counting of cast votes have started at the Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in the ongoing FCT area council election.

    Most of the voting units concluded voting and commenced counting 2.30 p.m scheduled for closing of voting.

    At the PU018, Central Post Office, Garki Area 10, sorting and counting of votes were in progress as at 3 p.m.

    Also at PU017 and PU015 Area 8, Garki, as well as PU:011, 007, 008, 006 and 005 at Area 2 Shopping Complex voting has also ended while sorting and counting were ongoing.

    At Government Day School, Area 1, sorting and counting of votes were also ongoing at polling units 001A, 001B, 002A, 002B and 003 as at 3.50 p.m.

    All the party agents that spoke with NAN described the voting process as peaceful.

    At the PU018, Central Post Office, Garki Area 10, Mr Nwodo Sylvester of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Oyetunji Segun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the process so far was smooth and peaceful.

    Also the PDP agent, Ibrahim Sabo, and APC agent, Salihu Abubakar, at PU107 Area 8, said the process was peaceful without any problem so far.

    The National Resistance Movement (NRM) polling unit agent, Mrs Abada Deninyefa, said though the election was peaceful, there was vote buying by a particular political party.

  • FCT area council enforces suspension of motorcycle operations

    FCT area council enforces suspension of motorcycle operations

    The Kuje Area Council in the FCT, has commenced enforcement of the suspension on all motorcycle operations in the area, aimed at curbing community spread of COVID-19.

    Mr Abdullahi Sabo, Chairman, Motorcycle Operators Restructuring Committee in Kuje, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

    NAN recalls that the council had on May 12, announced the suspension.

    Sabo said that the development followed the daily rise in confirmed cases of the disease in the FCT, and influx of motorcycle riders to rural communities.

    “The outcome of our meeting yesterday (Tuesday), with Keke NAPEP (tricycle) officials was very fruitful, we made them to understand the decision of the council.

    “That Okada has just been suspended as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, and we feel we have to make use of keke to cushion the effect of absence of okada (motorcycle) riders.

    “We did tell them the rules and regulations of the council, which is a national rule, they must not carry more than three persons, including the driver,” he said.

    He, however, appealed to residents to take the lockdown order by the Federal Government seriously, noting that the fight to defeat the pandemic depended largely on complying with directives by government.

    According to Sabo, persons that have to go out of their homes with genuine reasons, must wear face masks and observe the physical distancing rule everywhere they go, including markets and in vehicles.

    “This is a tough decision that the executive chairman of the council has to take for us to stay alive.

    “This suspension is temporary, it is just for a while, we all pray for quick exit of the COVID-19 pandemic so that life can return to normal.

    “We want to appeal to them to be patient with us and persevere, while we continue to pray to God to see us through this global pandemic,” he said.

    Awwal Yakubu, a tricycle operator, said every operator paid N4, 500 to register with the council and were each issued an ID card with a sticker.

    Yakubu said the operators would be charging an average of N100 per person, depending on the distance and location in the council.

  • Kidnapping: Kuje community protest insecurity

    Some residents of Pegi community in Kuje Area Council of FCT on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest following recent kidnapping and attacks in the area.

    The protesters barricaded the entrance of Kuje Area Council Secretariat, holding placards with inscriptions like: “Kidnappers on rampage in Kuje”, and “Give us security in Pegi community”.

    The protesters alleged that the Kuje council and FCT Administration had failed to complete the road project linking Kuje town to the community, and have distorted the original master plan of the community.

    Mr Aderibigbe Taiwo, the Leader of the aggrieved persons, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the protest was aimed at drawing the attention of authorities to the insecurity, negligence and hardship on the residents.

    “The master plan of Pegi Resettlement site that was originally mapped out in 2005 by the former Minister of the FCT, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, had been altered.

    “This community has suffered hardship as a result of infrastructural deficit and security challenges,” he said.

    Taiwo said that the activities of armed robbers and motorcycle snatchers have been rampant.

    “They always take advantage of the bad road linking the community to attack innocent residents, especially civil servants while returning from work.

    “Some gunmen dressed in military camouflage, on Monday night, fired shots at vehicles and over four people were kidnapped and some residents were seriously injured.

    “About four persons, including a 10-year-old boy, were among the victims that were kidnapped on Monday in the community.

    “The attackers could not be less than 20, as they fired sporadically, bullets deflated tyres and created deep holes on vehicles.”

    He said the Monday attack was the second time that kidnapping was recorded in the community recently.

    “More than six persons were kidnapped in 2018 at the same location. However, we are pleading with relevant authorities to come to our rescue.

    “We, the residents of Pegi community have been neglected and several distortions have been made to the original master plan of our community, we call on the government to also intervene.

    “We are also calling on the Kuje Area Council and FCT Minister to come and address the rising spate of insecurity in our community,” Taiwo urged.

    Addressing the residents, the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Mr Abdullahi Sabo, assured them of improved security and peace in the area.

    He said the area council in synergy with security operatives was on a search and rescue mission to ensure that the victims were rescued.

    The chairman also assured that the council would ensure that dilapidated roads in the area are fixed and a police outstation established in the area.

    On his part, Mr Harrison Oruruo, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), appealed to the protesters to open the council secretariat gate to prevent miscreants from hijacking the protests.