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Reps confirm recapture of 421 Kuje prison inmates, summons Aregbesola, NCOS chief

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The House of Representatives Committee on Correctional Service said on Thursday 421 out of the over 800 inmates who escaped from the Kuje correctional centre in Abuja last week have been recaptured.

The chairman of the committee, Edwin Anayo, who disclosed this to journalists during an oversight visit to the facility, added that 454 inmates are still at large.

He also revealed that the lawmakers met 115 inmates during the visit.

Members of the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) attacked the facility last Tuesday and freed 879 inmates, including 64 suspected terrorists detained in the facility.

Police had already arrested two of the escapees in Ogun and Abuja.

Anayo said the committee had summoned the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, to appear before it over the attack on the correctional centre.

The committee also invited the Commander of the Nigerian Army Platoon on duty on the night of the attack.

“If you subtract 115, it will give about 879 that escaped that night,” he noted.

Anayo decried that 12 other custodial centres had been attacked across the country recently.

READ ALSO:Escaped Kuje prison inmate arrested in Ogun

The lawmaker added: “We are summoning the CG and the minister in charge of this agency to come to the National Assembly and explain to the whole world and Nigerians what is going on.

“We are not comfortable with the incidences of jailbreaks in recent times. There have been about 10 to 12 attacks on custodial centres. Nigerians are not comfortable.

“In Abuja, nobody walks freely now because of this incident. We have to interact and know the problem, and how we can solve them.

“We have to know your challenges and how to tackle them. The committee is eager to know what transpired here and the reaction of the security agencies.

“After inviting the CG with his team and the minister, we will also invite the leader of the Army team on that day.

“We are summoning the CG with his team, and the minister with his team to know more about what transpired on that fateful day that the incident happened.”

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