Kuje prison attack and 2023

By Uche Chris

The July 5, 2022 Kuje prison attack by ISWAP purportedly to free their detained commanders took the nation by surprise and to say the least, is one attack too many.

Coming closely after the Abuja-Kaduna train attack in April, in which 62 passengers were abducted and being used for the negotiation to free those commanders, and the July ambush of advance presidential convey to Katsina, the Kuje Correctional Centre attack indeed exposed the lack of preparedness by the security agencies to deal with the challenge posed by these insurgents and terrorists.

This came in the wake of the Niger state mine massacre of troops which led to the death of 36 soldiers and other casualties that left both the military and government shell-shocked.

Apparently, nowhere is safe again as the bandits or terrorists can strike anywhere at ease, and this is ominous for the 2023 polls.
From a strategic stand point, the Niger state mine attack was a decoy and diversion by the terrorists to distract attention of security agencies from their intended objective, which was Kuje. And they succeeded to a large extent.
It is evident that the spate of attacks on prison facilities in the recent times has correlation with the presence of terrorists’ detainees in those places. In the past two years, there had been attacks in Owerri, Kogi, Jos, Oyo, Edo etc which resulted in the release of inmates and massive destruction of property.

Government had tried to explain it away as isolated and unrelated to the broader security problem in the country, and even accused innocent non state actors as perpetrators simply to divert attention.

The Kuje attack may have gone the same way but for the link with the Abuja-Kaduna train attack and the impudent claim of responsibility by ISWAP. Before the attack, the terrorists had refused to negotiate with the families of kidnapped victims, and insisted on government releasing their members in different prisons for exchange with the victims.

It was government’s reluctance, and indeed, indifference to the demand of the terrorists that led to the dare-devil storming of Kuje to effect the freedom of their members.

Kuje prison is just 36 kilometers from Abuja, the seat of power and for three hours, the terrorists operated without interference from the security agencies. It was a national embarrassment, like the Owerri attack that took place very close to Government House and state police command, as well five kilometers from the Army Brigade command, which clearly suggests official collusion and complicity.

Kuje was ISWAP’s last dimunition of Nigeria’s security capability, and a clear statement that the country is at its mercy.The admission by the Controller General, Haliru Nababa, that they actually received intelligence warning of an imminent attack but it was not specifically narrowed to Kuje, is both idiotic and irresponsible.

In view of the demand of ISWAP for the release of their people as precondition for freeing the Abuja train victims, it should have raise immediate red alert on Kuje as the obvious target since it hosts about 62 of such persons of interest to the group.

Uncharacteristically, President Buhari rushed to the prison for on the spot assessment; however, nothing came out it other than setting up a committee to investigate the attack, and as we write this opinion, nothing has been done.

The administration has been notorious in dereliction of duty by not holding its officials accountable for failures, particularly in the security sector, which has been Nigeria’s most troubling challenge under this government.

Senate president, Ahmed Lawan aggravated the security failure by alleging that there was insider involvement, arising from the timing of the attack which coincided with the period of shift change and on the eve of the Muslim festivity of Eid Kabir, when security is lax, especially given the fact that inmates had access to mobile phones.

From all indications, the attack marked the height of everything that has gone wrong with the country, and undoubtedly puts the nation in jeopardy.

It is appalling that the Kuje attack and government handling of its aftermath point to the fact that we don’t seem to have learned anything from our past experiences, and the failure of government to hold officials to account for obvious non performance.

With all the attacks on nine correctional centres, Abuja-Kaduna train, Kaduna airport, and educational and religious institutions etc, nobody had ever been held responsible, raising questions about who is really in charge and calls the shot in security matters in the country.
Nigerians should be concerned about these attacks as we prepare for the 2023 general election which will mark a transition from one leadership to another, because the insurgents are acquiring renewed confidence and boldness in their murderous objective often without let or hindrance.

Enough is enough. By its fumbling and wobbling, this administration has created the uncanny impression that it is either incapable of tackling the insurgency head on, which it campaigned to end, or indulging the groups, as some people have alleged, or both.

It will be a disaster of monumental proportion to hand over this state of affairs to the next regime, because if President Buhari, an army general, who campaigned on the basis of stamping out insurgency, is unable to do so, it can only be left to imagination what lies ahead for the nation. Therefore, government should rise up to its responsibility by taking the fight to the terrorists and ensuring the safety of life and property of Nigerians.