Ejiofor Alike
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday returned to the country from France and called on the relevant authorities to go after Tuesday’s attackers of Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Tinubu travelled to France on June 27 for “important meetings”. While in France, billionaire business mogul, Mr Femi Otedola paid a visit to the APC national leader.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun also visited Tinubu in France.
In a statement issued yesterday by his Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman, the former Lagos State governor particularly condemned the terrorists’ attack on the Kuje prison, describing the incessant terror attacks plaguing the country as worrisome.
While calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant and united behind constituted authorities, Tinubu said the fleeing inmates from the facility must be re-arrested and returned to the facility.
“These incessant attacks on government’s institutions and innocent citizens are a sad reminder that we still have a lot to do to put these evil forces in check.”
He condemned the dastardly attack and urged the government to immediately go after the attackers and fleeing inmates of the facility.
While calling for a full investigation of the incident and the possible failure to act on intelligence, Tinubu said Nigerians must all remain vigilant and united.
He added that the moment called for national unity and deep introspection.
He, however, said that Nigerians should continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in its battle against insurgents and determination to confront agents of darkness.
He commiserated with the families and relations of those who lost their lives in the attack and called on the government to continue to provide succour and medical attention to those injured.
The facility’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abubakar Umar, in a statement, said four inmates died in the attack while 16 sustained injuries and were being treated.
Personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), drafted to the centre were also shot dead by the attackers who stormed the facility through the fence and main entrance, using explosive devices.
Umar said 879 inmates escaped from the facility out of which 443 had been recaptured while efforts were ongoing to get all fleeing inmates.
About 24 hours after the incident, a terrorist group, Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP), claimed responsibility for the attack.
