- As police nabs escaped inmate in Niger State
A terror suspect on the wanted list of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) after escaping during last Tuesday’s attack on the Kuje Medium Security prison by terrorists, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abuja.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, in a statement obtained by The Trumpet, said the terror suspect, Suleiman Sidi, was arrested with wraps of Cannabis Sativa on Monday at the Area 1 motor park while attempting to flee to Maiduguri, Borno State.
Babafemi further stated Sidi confessed during interrogations that he was remanded for terrorism and armed robbery charges at kuje prison but he escaped during the attack on the prison.
“The fleeing terror suspect, Suleiman Sidi, was arrested in the early hours of Monday 11th July at Area 1 motor park, in the Federal Capital Territory while attempting to board a commercial vehicle to Maiduguri, Borno state. When he was searched, three wraps of cannabis sativa were found on him.
“During a preliminary interview, the wanted terror suspect confirmed he was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre for terrorism and robbery charges, adding that he was indeed one of the inmates who escaped from the facility last Tuesday,” Babafemi stated.
Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has directed that the wanted suspect should be immediately handed over to the Nigerian Correctional Service for onward action.
Marwa commended the officers and men of the FCT Command for their vigilance that led to the arrest of the suspect.
Also, the Niger Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said its operatives have also arrested one of the fleeing terror inmates.
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According to a statement by the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Monday Bala Kuyars, the suspect, Kazeem Murtala, aged 54 years was rearrested in Suleja town of Niger State on Monday.
The police boss said the arrest of Murtala, who was nabbed in the Bakassi area of Suleja town, was possible following intelligence from members of the community.
“During interrogation, the inmate confessed that he escaped from Kuje Custodial Center during the attack where he was serving a jail term after conviction for an offence he committed and he has been in the custody for the past two years,” the statement said.
Kuyars, who commended the efforts of the patrol team and directed that the inmate should be transferred to the NCoS immediately, also appreciated the members of the public for giving such intelligence to the Police while soliciting their continuous cooperation in the fight against crime and criminality in the State.
Recall that one of the escapees was also rearrested last week in Nasarawa State.
No fewer than 800 inmates including 69 terror suspects had escaped during the attack on the Kuje prison by over 300 terrorists of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
While declaring them wanted, the leadership of the NCoS published the identities and photos of the terror escapees on their official website.
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