21 Boko Haram suspects killed in Abuja DSS Prison break attack

21 Boko Haram
suspects killed in
Abuja DSS attack
As DSS foils
attempted jail break
in Abuja
No fewer than 21 Boko
Haram detainees have been
shot dead in a shootout
that ensued Sunday morning at
the Department of State
Security Service in the
Asokoro a district of Abuja.

Sun news online learnt
that the shootout erupted
when some of the
suspected terrorists
attempted to free their
members and leave the
detention facility, which is
by the precincts of the
Presidential Villa.
Trouble started around
6am during the normal
handing over and taking
over of duties by DSS
detainees' handlers.

A source told
sun news online that
as soon as one handler
opened the gate leading to
the cell where the
detainees were kept, ten
suspected terrorists rushed
out, snatched the handler's
rifle and shoot at him.

The source said that some
DSS operatives are reported
to have retreated so as not
to be killed by the
rampaging Boko Haram
terrorists.

The source said after they
shot the first handler, the
ten suspected terrorists
began to escape into
different locations within
the massive security
compound.

Alarmed by the effrontery
of the suspected terrorists,
the DSS quickly deployed its
men to quell the uprising,
resulting in heavy shooting
that claimed the lives of
some of the suspects.

Many DSS operatives and
Boko Haram detainees
were also injured in the
ensuing rampage.
The shot DSS operative,
whose name could not be
immediately ascertained,
was immediately rushed to
an undisclosed hospital.

A source said the shot
operative was in a fatal
state but had not died.
It was learnt that the DSS,
which is uncomfortable by
the incident, had begun
investigation into why the
detainees handler decided
to go and open the cell gate
alone without being
accompanied by others, as
is the standard practice.

"The whole episode
occurred around 6:30 am
and 7am on Sunday during
the normal handing over
and takeover of detainees.
"The standard rule is that
you cannot go alone to
open the gate leading to
the detainees' cell but as
soon as the man opened
the gate, he was attacked
and he tried to run away
and was shot.
"The shot operative has
been taken to hospital," the
source said.
The uprising led to the
deployment of soldiers to
the DSS headquarters and
around the Presidential
Villa.

Commuters and vehicles
passing through the Aso a
Drive, were searched by
armed soldiers and DSS
operatives.
The Department of State
Services (DSS), in a
statement on Sunday
morning said it foiled an
attempted jail break at its
headquarters in Abuja.
The statement, which was
signed by Marilyn Ogar, the
Deputy Director, Public
Relations, DSS, said that the
attempt occurred at about
7.15 a.m.
Ogar said that "this was
when the service suspect
handler went to the
detention facility within the
headquarters to feed
suspects.

"One of the suspects
attempted to disarm the
handler by hitting him at
the back of his head with
his handcuff.
"The suspect's attempt to
escape drew the attention
of other guards at the
facility, who fired some
shots to warn and deter
others.''
She explained that the gun
shots attracted the
attention of the military
"with whom we have an
understanding of mutual
assistance in the event of
any threat.

"The Army immediately
deployed a team to
reinforce our perimeter
guards to forestall any
external collaborators.
"The situation has since
been brought under
control,'' Ogar said, adding
that further details would
be communicated. (NAN)

Reference: Sun News Online