The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the Tuesday attack on a correctional facility in Kuje council area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
A video, said to have been published by the Islamic State A’maq agency, shows what appears to be a view of the Kuje prison while gunshots are heard in the background. The 38 seconds video showed that the terrorists shot indiscriminately before gaining access into the prison.
The Islamic State’s A’maq Agency released the video with a caption in Arabic that read: “Fighters of Islamic State attacked Kuje prison in Abuja yesterday and succeeded in releasing many prisoners”.
According to a researcher who analyses activities of insurgents in sub-Saharan Africa, Tomasz Rolbecki, ISWAP said the attack resulted in its fighters “freeing dozens of prisoners”. When he visited the prison on Wednesday morning, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said the attackers headed towards the direction where 64 Boko Haram suspects were kept.
Magashi explained that after the attack none of the suspects in custody could be located.
