I shared intelligence about Kuje prison attack but nothing was done – Gumi’s aide

Tukur Manu, an aide to a popular Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, on Wednesday, said he had prior knowledge of the attack on Kuje prison and shared his intelligence with security forces, but nothing was done to avert the attack.

Mr Mamu, who also publishes the Desert Herald Newspaper, claimed the group that attacked the prison is the same group that attacked a Kaduna-bound train in March.

The attackers of the prison freed at least 64 inmates suspected to be members of the Islamist group Boko Haram after the prison was successfully attacked on Tuesday night.

Mr Mamu helped to negotiate the release of 11 hostages who were abducted from the Kaduna-bound train. At least 51 of the hostages are still with the terror group.

Mr Mamu, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday evening, said since he facilitated the release of the hostages, he has consistently raised the alarm on the deplorable condition of the remaining hostages, calling on the Federal Government to act fast by listening to the terrorists to save the lives of the innocent Nigerians in captivity.

He said his life is under threat, thus, he has withdrawn from the negotiations to secure the release of the remaining captives.

“This is probably the last I will ever dabble on the above subject matter, because of the frustrations and failure of relevant official stakeholders to take prompt and painful 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.

“This is also to confirm to Nigerians that after unnecessary delays and despite the milestone we reached in efforts to secure the release of the remaining victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack there was indeed a fresh threat by the abductors that they will start slaughtering their victims yesterday, Tuesday, 5th July 2022.

“I was crying on audio after listening to their recorded message and pleading with them. Their renewed threat was a result of our (FG’s) failure to convey to them a definite response regarding their two demands I consider worth giving speedy approval especially if one will take into cognisance the value of the innocent lives that are with them and in a country where one person will steal far more than what they are requesting for.

“As a result of my engagement they gave us the opportunity to respond to their demands but we failed to do so on four different occasions which resulted in the recent threat.

“For me, there’s no difference between corrupt officials or contractors that are committing treason against the nation by way of stealing the resources that will benefit everybody, monies that will stop preventable deaths in our hospitals due to decaying structures, improve standards of education and even stop insecurity and crimes with the terrorists that emerged because of this sad reality and now unleashing terror on the entire society.

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“It was after the failure of the fourth opportunity that they angrily issued the fresh threat to start slaughtering their victims yesterday, Tuesday. After much pleading with them, tolerated abuses and begged them to allow individual family members to contact them directly, they gave today, Wednesday, 6th July, that if there is nothing definite from family members they will start executing their threat.

“I immediately passed this disturbing intelligence to all the relevant security agencies, the National Assembly leadership and other stakeholders. But sadly as of today, Wednesday, which is the deadline they gave, there is no word from anybody. I have nevertheless sent words to them to reconsider their threat and allow family members to reach out to them.

“And even on the tendency and threat to attack targets and other facilities of interest like the Kuje Correctional Centre attacks I have shared that intelligence with the security agencies and the committee that was constituted by CDS (Chief of Defense Staff) Gen. Lucky Irabo.

“I can confirm without a 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 the power of dialogue and engagement, I was able to singlehandedly scale that number to only 10 and communicated with audio backing the development to the relevant authorities.

“There was an unnecessary delay on giving them even 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 has also succeeded in releasing doses of their members which would have been averted if the action has been taken to give them only 10 and secure the release of the train victims. In all this risky, painful and frustrating engagement which government is yet to acknowledge and appreciate I have more than 100 documented audios that I shared with the relevant authorities. For the purpose of this important press release and to authenticate my claims, I will also share 4 of the latest audios.

“And for the records, since after our successful mission that led to the release of the 11 victims I have made up my mind then to disengage completely from this voluntary service to a nation that doesn’t appreciate sacrifices because of the above reasons and many more but I was instructed on humanitarian grounds by my principal, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi to exercise patience and continue.

“But with the current sad development at the highest official level of government, I am formally announcing my withdrawal completely from this service and to announce to the world that my life is also being threatened. It should also be on record that if anything happens to me certainly it is not the terrorists but within the corrupt society, we are in.

“May Allah preserves the lives of the innocent victims of the train attack and may He secure their release in safety, Mr Mamu said.