Prison break: How ex-Boko Haram fighter was recruited as prison official

The poor state of Nigeria’s recruitment policies, which has been rocked by bribery and corruption, has again been highlighted with the reported recruitment of a former Boko Haram fighter as one of the country’s prison officials.

According to Premium Times, a former Boko Haram fighter, Wilberforce Yohanna, was recruited as a staffer of the Yola New Custodial Centre in Adamawa State.

Yohanna’s Boko Haram background was exposed following the mastery he displayed with gun handling during training, documents showed.

The document revealed, “While on training, he was found to be more versatile in the use and operations of firearms.

“Upon further interrogation and collaborative findings, he confessed to having been abducted and held hostage by members of the Boko Haram for two (2) years.”

Yohanna claimed that he was trained in heavy weapons by Boko Haram terrorists after the group forcefully conscripted him.

The prison officials stated that he later escaped from the custody of the terrorist sect.

Federal government authorities have reportedly failed to investigate Mr. Yohanna’s claim of being forced to fight for Boko Haram.

The Correctional Service authorities are unwilling – or uncertain – about doing anything in Mr. Yohanna’s case despite the official being a former deadly combatant for the terrorist Boko Haram group.

Insiders disclosed that Correctional Service authorities are trying to avoid getting negative media attention if the recruitment gets exposed.

Insiders told Premium Times that applicants get recruited into the correctional service without going through rigorous vetting by paying bribes.

“Usually, vetting is to be done before recruitment, but in the Correctional Service, little or no vetting is done.

“People pay for jobs and receive their employment letters at home. Level 8 is sold for 800k, Level 4-7 for 400k,” a correctional centre official disclosed.

Naija News reports that members of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) had last Tuesday carried out a successful attack on the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre, Abuja.

The terrorists released all Boko Haram inmates, numbering 64 and over 800 other prisoners in the facility.

Reports had claimed that the terrorists may have carried out the attack with the aide of an insider who knew the facility.