The terrorists who attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre in the Kuje area of the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday night were said to have shared transportation fares with the inmates to aid their escape.
Over 800 inmates were said to have escaped when the terrorists struck, but 400 of them have been recaptured, while some of the inmates returned to the prison of their own volition.
Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) had claimed the attack.
Daily Trust reports that after the attackers successfully gained entrance into the prison yard, they told the inmates who were ready to escape to come out.
One of the security officials who coordinated the rescue mission that recaptured many of the inmates confided in one of our correspondents that some of the recaptured prisoners told them that the terrorists did not force any of the prisoners to leave, but asked those interested to join them outside, and those not ready to remain.
After gathering outside, the sect were said to have already perfected their own escape route and allegedly carried all their members in a vehicle already arranged for the purpose before sharing money with the other inmates to assist them in their escape.
The source also said they were sternly warned that non-members of the group should not follow them in their vehicles , or the person would be killed.
Another security source said many of those arrested were caught in the Kwali area of the FCT and the surrounding villages with the aid of vigilantes, hunters and farmers with coordination from security operatives.
As widely reported by the media, scores of terrorists raided the prison Tuesday night, freeing hundreds of inmates after shooting and bombing their way into the prison yard.
It was learnt that it took less than one hour for the insurgents to gain access to the facility while security operatives fled.
“The terrorists moved everyone out of the facility to an open place where they gave Quranic lectures for about 15 minutes before they started sharing transportation fares to their members, whom they came to rescue. It was very clear they came prepared,” a security source said.
A news outlet, FIJ, reported that the jailbreakers spoke in Ebira, in addition to Fulani and Hausa.
The report said the insurgents had so much free time on their hands that they first delivered a 15-minute lecture to inmates before setting them free, an insider who witnessed the horror show from start to finish has recounted.
“Quite a few of them understand Ebira; they preached in Ebira, Fulani and Hausa. And there were many of them. They surrounded the facility, as big and well-equipped as it is, and still had more than 20 of them inside the prison. That tells you there were so many of them,” it quoted a source.
