Bauchi prison break
Encyclopedia
The Bauchi prison break was an attack on Bauchi prison in the northern Nigeria
n city of Bauchi
by 50 gunmen. The attack occurred on . The gunmen were suspected to be members of the militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram
. All 721 prisoners escaped the prison.
The prisoners were largely awaiting trial for sectarian violence
in the country in 2009. The group who conducted the prison raid, Boko Haram, was involved in the sectarian violence in 2009. The group opposes non-Islamic education in Nigeria.
The attack came on the same day that the 2011 presidential election was announced.
, said that of the 759 inmates, 721 prisoners were freed. including 150 members of the Islamist group. Over thirty prisoners returned to the prison to serve out their short sentences. Additionally thirty-five prisoners have been re-arrested. Parts of the jail were set on fire and five people were killed; a further six people are in a local hospital.
, announced on that members of Boko Haram should leave the state or be flushed out forcefully. The city is currently calm with soldiers manning checkpoints on the major roads. According to state police commissioner, Danlami Yar'Adua, eleven suspected members of Boko Haram have been arrested. According to the Nigerian government, security would also be tightened at other jails, especially those thought to be vulnerable to attack. The minister for the interior, Emmanuel Ihenacho, stated that the "[Nigerian people's] safety and security remain paramount to us."
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n city of Bauchi
Bauchi
Bauchi is a city in northeast Nigeria, the capital of Bauchi State, of the Bauchi Local Government Area within that State, and of the traditional Bauchi Emirate. The city has a population of 316,173...
by 50 gunmen. The attack occurred on . The gunmen were suspected to be members of the militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram
Boko Haram
Boko Haram is a Nigerian Islamist group that seeks the imposition of Shariah law throughout the whole of Nigeria. The group presently has an undefined structure and chain of command...
. All 721 prisoners escaped the prison.
Background
Due to Nigeria being split between the Christian south and Muslim north, tensions have built between the two groups. There has been sectarian violence since 1999.The prisoners were largely awaiting trial for sectarian violence
2009 Nigerian sectarian violence
The 2009 Nigerian sectarian violence was a conflict between Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group and Nigerian security forces. The violence resulted in 700 deaths between 26 and 29 July 2009 across four cities in north east Nigeria....
in the country in 2009. The group who conducted the prison raid, Boko Haram, was involved in the sectarian violence in 2009. The group opposes non-Islamic education in Nigeria.
The attack came on the same day that the 2011 presidential election was announced.
Incident
Olusola Ogundipe, the comptroller general of the Nigerian Prisons ServicesNigerian Prisons Services
The Nigerian Prisons Services is a government agency of Nigeria which operates prisons. The agency is headquartered in Abuja, and the comptroller general controls the agency.-External links:*...
, said that of the 759 inmates, 721 prisoners were freed. including 150 members of the Islamist group. Over thirty prisoners returned to the prison to serve out their short sentences. Additionally thirty-five prisoners have been re-arrested. Parts of the jail were set on fire and five people were killed; a further six people are in a local hospital.
Reaction
The state governor, Isa YugudaIsa Yuguda
Mallam Isa Yuguda was elected Governor of Bauchi State, Nigeria in April 2007 on the All Nigeria Peoples Party platform.In April 2009 he changed allegiance from the ANPP to the People's Democratic Party ....
, announced on that members of Boko Haram should leave the state or be flushed out forcefully. The city is currently calm with soldiers manning checkpoints on the major roads. According to state police commissioner, Danlami Yar'Adua, eleven suspected members of Boko Haram have been arrested. According to the Nigerian government, security would also be tightened at other jails, especially those thought to be vulnerable to attack. The minister for the interior, Emmanuel Ihenacho, stated that the "[Nigerian people's] safety and security remain paramount to us."