Kuje: Buhari Gets Preliminary Report as FG Mulls Banning Motorcycles, Mining Nationwide

* Says lack of will to act on intelligence cause of Kuje prison break  

*Lawmakers to probe incidence 

* Terrorists attack Katsina Village, kill five policemen, three civilians

Deji Elumoye, Juliet Akoje in Abuja and and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

President Muhammadu Buhari has received a preliminary report on the recent attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, even as the federal government has begun to mull options on banning motorcycles and mining nationwide.

The federal government however said lack of will by officials to act on intelligence report caused the attack on the Kuje facility.
This, nonetheless, five policemen and three civilians had been killed, while many others were injured by gunmen suspected to be terrorists in a fresh attack on Gatigawa village in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Briefing newsmen yesterday at the end of the National Security Council meeting presided over by the president, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the ban proposed was one of the resolutions arrived at during the security meeting.
According to him, one of the measures being considered to impede terrorist activities included a nationwide ban on motocycles and mining to cut off their sources of funds.

Flanked by his Interior and Police Affairs counterparts, Rauf Aregbesola and Mohammed Dingyadi, Malami said the ban was targeted at the logistics used by the terrorists.
The minister said these included motorcycles used for movement and mining, which provided them the money to fund their arms’ supply, adding that, the federal government was now looking at ways to inhibit their actions by blocking the sources already identified.
Malami stressed that terrorists had moved from the conventional ways of funding their activities to mining and ransom taking, making it necessary for the government to act fast.

“The issues deliberated border on one, the logistics being used by the terrorists, Boko Haram and bandits among others in the act of executing their unfortunate act of terrorism and terrorising the country.
“It was extensively deliberated upon as to what needs to be done for the purpose of ensuring that their means of logistics are indeed adequately considered and necessary steps are taken in degrading their capacity to move around.
“So, discussions were carried out, deliberations made and sizeable resolutions in that direction, were equally developed. The government would look into that possibility with particular regard to restriction on use and distribution of motorcycles, which is the most conventional logistical means being deployed by terrorists.

“Again, issues of funding of the terrorism and the terrorism acts were discussed and deliberated upon and considered. As you rightly know, recently the government under the leadership of President Buhari, had indeed, passed, assented to certain bills inclusive of the money laundering, prevention and prohibition act among others.

“With the passage of that law, and assented to, the conventional means of terrorists funding and financing was substantially and drastically addressed and that led to forensic analysis of and identification of certain personalities that were in one way or the other connected with terrorism funding and financing.
“But then, new innovations were brought into it, into the terrorists’ funding and financing, inclusive of the use of mineral resources – the mining for example among others. And indeed, ransom, which conventionally has been taken by the terrorists, and then, the need arises to now look into those frontiers that are being considered by the terrorists for the purpose of addressing them accordingly.

“A resolution was equally developed on the need to address frontally, attack and ensure at the end of the day, that other considerations being put in place by terrorists in terms of funding their activities are equally addressed.
“And with that in mind, the government is looking at what measures to take in terms of addressing, bridging and blocking associated sources of funding, including payment for ransom and indeed, the mining activities and the possibility or otherwise of suspending for the time being, mining activities are being considered as well, by the government.

“Again other than logistics and funding, mining, other considerations were equally put in place on table for consideration by council with particular regard to the unfortunate incident of the (Kuje) Correctional Service attack and equally, there were anticipated resolutions arising from the consequences associated with dereliction of duty.

“Issues associated with logistics of terrorists and bandits; issues associated with blockage of the source of funding; issues associated with the likely possible suspension of mining activities if indeed, it is a nexus and connection is indeed established and the issues associated with consequences for dereliction of duty if indeed, it is established arising from the report expected and anticipated relating to the Kuje correctional incident,” he stated.
On his part, Aregbesola disclosed that substantial efforts went into gathering of intelligence before the recent attack on Kuje Correctional Center but regretted that there was the absence of will to act on it.

The minister, who said the preliminary investigation on the attack, had been submitted to the president, assured the people that all those found wanting in their responsibilities at the end of the ongoing investigation, would be punished.
He said, “We are on to find all those whose action or inaction led to that unfortunate incidents and by then, those who have shirked their responsibilities will have to face the consequences of their actions.

“On intelligence, of course, we have different levels of intelligence. There is internal intelligence service, there is external intelligence service. Sufficient effort, I must say this with all sense of responsibility, sufficient effort and intelligence were made but unfortunately, for those of you that accompanied me when I visited the place, you heard that I said it very clearly that we had some problem with the will.”
He expressed concern that despite the presence of security agencies during the attack on the facility, they did not fully do what was expected, saying: “I have to say that we noticed they were not fully conformed.

“So, incapacity in terms of will, that’s what we mean by whoever was responsible for the failure of defence and security and the breach of that institution’s facility will face the consequence.”
Aregbesola, who also assured the people that the federal government was taking necessary measures to stop the inflow of arms and ammunition used by terrorists, said, “As of today, we are strengthening our borders to prevent any importation of arms and dangerous materials that can threaten the integrity of the nations and security of our people.

“This is not limited to Immigration alone, all security forces are at alert at various levels. Do not take your mind off the fact that we have a vast territory and that whatever is happening within Nigeria must be put in the context of what’s happening in the region.

“The federal government is not unaware of the need to strengthen the border forces to prevent aggression, or importation of contrabands, particularly, arms and ammunition.”

Meanwhile, the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, who confirmed the recent terrorist attack, which claimed some officers, to journalists, said the slain policemen were on special duty in Katsina State from Kano.

He explained that the policemen were killed by the suspected terrorists alongside three civilians while repelling attack on Gatigawa village at about 6:45pm on Wednesday.

Isah, a superintendent of police, said, “The terrorists were over three hundred (300) and they were fully armed. The five policemen are from Kano State and they were on special duty at Gatikawa.The terrorists attacked them at 6.45 p.m.

“The terrorists also killed three civilians. Investigation is already in progress over the matter by the Katsina State police Command to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident”.

A resident of the area, Kabir Tukur, told THISDAY that the terrorists also left many residents with varying degree of injuries and rustled unspecified numbers of animals belonging to members of the community.

He said, “How some of us escaped to a safer area yesterday (Wednesday) is still like a miracle to us. We could see and hear bullets hitting buildings. They injured many people during the attack and rustled some animals”.

Relatedly, the state Commissioner of Police, Idrisu Dabban Dauda, has presented N14.6 million cheques to families of 18 deceased police officers, who died in active service in the state.

Dauda, represented by DCP Baffa Magaji Jahun, said the gesture was part of the IGP’s Family Welfare Insurance Scheme being given to families of deceased police officers in across the country.

In a related development, the House of Representatives yesterday mandated its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Interior, Reformatory Services, Defence, Army, Airforce, Navy and Police to investigate causes, dimensions and effects of the unfortunate Kuje prison attack and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

It also urged he federal government to implement the laudable recommendations of the National Security Summit organised by the leadership of the House of Representatives in 2021, with broad National stakeholder participation.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to Investigate the Terrorists Attack on Nigerian Correctional Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje,’ moved by Hon. Sha’aban Sharada at plenary yesterday.

Sharada recalled that on Tuesday July 5, 2022, terrorists attacked the Nigerian Correctional Service, Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“The development makes the country and the Federal Capital Territory, in particular, vulnerable and under the fear of attacks, risk intimidation and all sorts of threats due to large number of criminal escapees in the country.

“The enormous resources expended by the Federal government towards ensuring the realisation of public security and welfare of its citizens,” he said.

Furthermore, he stressed that the Kuje custodial centre attack and its terrible outcome along with several related crimes against national security were on the increase despite stakeholders’ commitment towards equipping the national security enforcement and intelligence community with significant Appropriation of funds.