I alerted govt to Kuje prison attack but was ignored – Mamu

The negotiator between the Federal Government and terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train 100 days ago, Malam Tukur Mamu, said that he informed the government about a planned attack on Kuje Correctional Centre by Boko Haram terrorists, but his information was ignored.

Mamu in a statement said, “This is probably the last time I will ever dabble on the above subject matter, because of the frustration and failure of relevant official stakeholders to take prompt decisions in the interest of the citizens of a nation that has 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.” he said.

Malam Tukur Mamu, who is the publisher of Desert Herald and media consultant to Sheikh Ahmad Mahmud Gumi said, “The recent attack has confirmed to Nigerians that after unnecessary delays and despite the milestone reached in efforts to secure the release of the remaining victims of Abuja-Kaduna train attack there was indeed a fresh threat by the abductors that they will start to slaughter their victims on Tuesday, 5th July, 2022.

Mamu also released an audio record between him and the gunmen where he was crying after listening to their recorded messages and pleading with them.

He said their renewed threat is as a result of federal government’s failure to give a definite response regarding their two demands.

The Dan Iya of Fika Emirate said, “On the tendency and threat to attack targets and other facilities of interest like the Kuje Correctional Centre, I have shared that intelligence with the security agencies and the committee that was constituted by CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabo.

“I can confirm without 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.”

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

“There was unnecessary delay on giving them even a 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 have also succeeded in releasing dozen of their members which would have been averted if action has been taken to give them only 10 and secure the release of the train victims.

Mamu said it’s painful and frustrating that the government is yet to acknowledge and appreciate more than 100 documented audios that he shared with the relevant authorities.

The Kuje Correctional Centre was attacked on Tuesday, 5 July 2022, exactly 100 days after the Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked.