More details have emerged on how the federal government facilitated the release of 101 suspected Boko Haram terrorists from the Kirikiri Medium Security Prison on Saturday morning.
According to foundation for investigative journalism, the release of the terrorists is part of the compromise the government reached with those who sponsored the attackers of Abuja-Kaduna train towards ensuring the freedom of the travellers who were abducted during the March 28 incident.
The freed terror suspects had been awaiting trial since 2009, and had spoken about their release happening before a new administration took over, a source familiar with development to FIJ.
The source said, “They secretly released 101 Boko Haram suspects at about 6 am. The negotiations had been ongoing for some months.
“We used to pray together. During prayers, they spoke Hausa, and they told me they would be going home by October.
“Early yesterday (Saturday) morning, they owned the cell door and called them out. They had returned their properties already.
“I used to speak with one Adamu in G3 cell. He is no longer here. He is tall and slim, and has a long face.
“They told me that their release was based on negotiations and the pressure their sponsors gave Buhari. They felt if they didn’t get released before a new president, who might not be their tribesman, took the seat, they might not be granted amnesty.
“The controller of corrections, Ben-Rabbi Freeman, had been there multiple times to meet with them.”
The source said the freed inmates knew of the Kuje jailbreak before it occurred, and had shared the details without mentioning specific dates.
This source also said the freed inmates did not usually associate themselves with other inmates unless they were Hausa speakers, and had been prepped on how to stay off the radar after their release.
“When they spoke about their release, I asked how I would reach them, and they said they had been warned not to open bank accounts and use mobile lines, as it would be easier to track them,” the source added.
The inmates released, according to this source, are:
- Muhammad Ridwan
- Malam Aji
- Muhammad Bukar
- Kachala Umara
- Tijjani Ibrahim
- Abba Hassan
- Muhammad Tahir
- Abdurrahman Muhammad
- Musa Fushimngamdu
- Isyaku Haladu
- Muhammad Musa
- Abubakar Aminami
- Muhammad Tahir Mahmud Tchad
- Muhammad Muhammad
- Abdullahi Adamu
- Idriss Abubakar
- Adamualkasim
- Abdullahi Abubakar
- Baffa Ajibukar
- Modukime Sale
- Alhaji Modugrema
- Ahmad Abuzar
- Baba Ganawali
- Yunusa Ibrahim Sabo
- Adam Konto
- Muhammad Muktar
- Abba Hassan
- Muhammad Abba Mamman
- Abu Umaru
- Ali Usman
- Abdullahi Abubakar Mubi
- Sale Adamu
- Abdulwaheed Ibrahim
- Alhaji Abubakar Abubakar
- Muhammad Abubakar
- Idris Hashim
- Abu Barra Abubakar
- Baba Ganamodu
- Muhammad Ali
- Abdullah Abubakar
- Muhammad Hilanta
- Muhammad Muktar
- Abdulwahid Abdulssalam
- Adamu Abdullahi
- Aliyu Abdullahi
- Alkaseem Abdulahi
- Husaini Aliyu
- Abdullahi Isah
- Husaini Yusuf
- Yusuf Muhammad Hamisu
- Muhammad Yakubu
- Salisu Bilyaminu
- Bulama Muhammad
- Haruna Umaru
- Abdullahi Abubakar
- Haruna Shitu
- Abdusallam Muhammad
- Kabiru Ladan
- Mansur Muhammad
- Abdullah Aliyu
- Abdulmummeen Ibrahim
- Muhammad Lawan
- Haruna Adamu
- Kabiru Ibrahim
- Umar Abubakar
- Nasuru Garba
- Hamza Yakubu
- Musa Ali
- Muhammad Auwal
- Nura Abdullah
- Sa’adu Abdurrauf
- Sulaiman Jibirin
- Yakubu Bello
- Adamu Saidu
- Muhammad Jidda
- Abubakar Na Tuka
- Abba Hassan
- Maji Umaru
- Umaru Adamu Subari
- Ibrahim Abba
- Muhammad Nur Hassan
- Baba Gana Musa
- Muhammad Yusuf
- Sadiq Buba
- Adamu Musa
- Mustafa Yahya
- Muhammad Muktar
- Umara Tijjani
- Umar Brema
- Suleiman Adamu
- Muhammad Muazu
- Kabiru Aminu
- Siraja Abdullah
- Husaini Abdullah
- Hamisu Abdullah
- Aliyu Abubakar
- Isa Ahmad
- Alhaji Kambar
- Auwal Mati
- Bashiru Hamisu
- Ahmad Yusuf.