Sheikh Gumi’s Aide Speaks On Kuje Prison Attack

An aide to the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, claimed on Wednesday that the attack on the Kuje correctional centre was carried out by the same terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train in March 2022.

Mallam Tukur Mamu who spoke with newsmen in Kaduna today said it was the same Ansaru terrorists that paid the deadly visit to the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre in Abuja.

Mamu said he was convinced without a doubt about the perpetrators of the disturbing attack, which lead to over six hundred inmates escaping the facility before some were rearrested and returned to the prison.

He said that prior to the attack he informed security agencies of the tendency and threat to attack targets and other facilities of interest like the Kuje Correctional Centre attacks.

“I have shared that intelligence with the security agencies and the committee that was constituted by CDS Gen. Lucky Irabo.

“I can confirm without a doubt that the Kuje Correctional Centre attack was executed and coordinated by the same group that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train because they gave indications of imminent attacks to that effect which I shared,” Mamu said.

Mamu said the Abuja-Kaduna train attackers had requested the release of 51 of its members but the request was scaled to 10 through the power of negotiations.

“For the records, they requested for the release of 51 of their members. But through the power of dialogue and engagement I was able to singlehandedly scale that number to only 10 and communicated with audio backing the development to the relevant authorities.

“There was an unnecessary delay on giving them even precise feedback by the government and now they have not only succeeded in carrying out another successful attack that indicts the nature of our intelligence and capacity to respond promptly but has also succeeded in releasing dozens of their members which would have been averted if the action has been taken to give them only 10 and secure the release of the train victims.

“In all this risky, painful and frustrating engagement which government is yet to acknowledge and appreciate, I have more than 100 documented audios that I shared with the relevant authorities. For the purpose of this important press release and to authenticate my claims, I will also share four of the latest audios,” the Media Consultant to Sheikh Gumi claimed.

Mamu said after the successful mission that led to the release of 11 out of the 61 in captivity, he made up his mind to disengage from the negotiation which the government never appreciated.

“I was instructed on humanitarian grounds by my principal, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, to exercise patience and continue,” he said.

Mamu added, “This is probably the last I will ever dabble on the above subject matter because of the frustrations and failure of relevant official stakeholders to take prompt and painful decisions, in the interest of the citizens of a nation that have been consumed by insecurity and avoidable attacks.

“With all the billions in budgetary allocations on security, with instances of few becoming billionaires at the expense of innocent lives, we must accept the fact that the current system has collapsed.”