Abuja DSS Attack
Abuja DSS Attack | |
---|---|
Part of Islamist insurgency in Nigeria | |
Location | Abuja, Northern Nigeria |
Date | 31 March 2014 |
Target | Department of State Security, Abuja |
Attack type | Prison escape |
Deaths | 21 |
Non-fatal injuries | 2 |
Perpetrators | Boko Haram |
Number of participants | Unknown |
Defenders | 0 |
The Abuja DSS attack was a coordinated terrorist attack by the Islamic group Boko haram on the Department of State Security, Abuja on 31 March 2014 in a bid to escape from detention.[1] This resulted in the death of 21 insurgents who attempted to escape leaving 2 security personnel severely injured.[2]
Incident
The incident occurred on Sunday 31 March 2014 in the morning, when one of the service suspect handler went to the detention to serve their breakfast.[3] In a bid to return to his office, he was disarmed by one of the insurgents who hit him on the head with his handcuff in an attempt to escape.[4] This incessant action drew the attention of the armed guards who shot in the air to stop them.[2] This effort was futile until the army officers came in to suppress the uprising.[5] Twenty-one prisoners were killed by the military personnel and two government officials were seriously injured.[6]
Reactions
After the attack, there was a controversy over the death of the 21 prisoners who died in the process of the attack,[7] because some innocent prisoners might have been killed by the soldiers who labeled them as Boko haram.[8] This assumption was based on the New York Times publications of the Amnesty International report that alleges malicious killing of about 600 unarmed,[9] rearrested escapees who had been earlier freed when Boko haram attacked the Giwa military barracks in Maiduguri.[10] The Amnesty International report was based on an eye-witness account of the Nigerian soldiers' killing of the innocent rearrested prisoners that was freed by Boko haram during the Giwa military barracks attack.[11] The eye-witness said: "The former detainees were in a classroom. They started screaming ‘we are not Boko Haram. We are detainees!’ My neighbours and I saw the soldiers take the men to a place called ‘no man’s land,’ behind the University of Maiduguri. We watched as the soldiers opened fire killing all 56. They were killed in front of us. All of themâ€, according to the New York Times.[12]
See also
References
- ↑ "DSS foils attempted jail break at its headquarter in Abuja". Vanguard News. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- 1 2 "Abuja Boko Haram Jailbreak: SSS Confirms 21 Casualties". Sahara Reporters. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "DSS foils attempted jail break at its headquarter in Abuja". Vanguard News. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "20 Boko Haram suspects killed in Abuja DSS attack". Vanguard News. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "21 die in Abuja attempted jailbreak - DSS". Nigeria. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ Mikail Mumuni, Cyril Mbah & Kola Olawoyin, Abuja. "21 die as SSS foils Boko Haram Abuja jailbreak". Newswatch Times. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "Boko Haram Giwa barracks attack: Nigerian army 'killed hundreds'". BBC News. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "Amnesty International Accuses Nigerian Military Of Committing War Crimes, Claims Videos Show Abuses (GRAPHIC VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "Abuja DSS Jailbreak: The Truth Behind It Exposed By New York Times — OsunDefender". OsunDefender. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ "Amnesty International: 1,500 Nigerians Killed in Boko Haram Violence in 2014". VOA. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ Jack Moore. "Nigeria Army 'Killed Hundreds' After Boko Haram Barracks Attack - Amnesty". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ↑ AFP. "16 men arrested by Nigeria soldiers 'found dead with bullet wounds'". Times LIVE. Retrieved 20 February 2016.