IBUKUNOLUWA KING-OKUNEYE
Following the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory and the escape of several inmates, Femi Falana (SAN), a human rights activist, on Wednesday called for the review of Nigeria’s security architecture.
Falan made the statement when he appeared on a ChannelsTV programme, Sunrise Daily.
He stressed that no one is safe in the country, classifying the attack as a very disturbing development.
Falana said that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government, other than regular press statements condemning attacks, had failed to frontally deal with insecurity in Nigeria.
Noting that Kuje is one of the most secured of all custodial centres in Nigeria, he said if terrorists could launch a successful attack on the facility and freed prisoners, there has to be a review of the security architecture in Nigeria.
Falana stressed that these coordinated attacks clearly showed that there are serious problems that the government has refused to address regarding the security of the country.
He challenged the government at all levels to take intelligence reports more seriously, saying the government got regular intelligence reports but refused to act on them.
“Out there, nobody is secure. Every government must control the monopoly of violence but here, the criminal elements have taken over and they are now in firm control of violence in the country and that requires the authorities to sit down and address the problem,” he said.