The Nation reports that six persons who are alleged to be top financiers of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups also escaped from Kuje prison.

They were reportedly among the inmates set free by the terrorists who invaded the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja on Tuesday night, The Nation gathered yesterday.

Security sources described the alleged financiers as sponsors of the two terrorist organisations.

Sixty-nine fleeing inmates of the facility were declared wanted by the authorities yesterday while President Muhammadu Buhari held an emergency meeting with his chief security advisers to review the attack.

Police Affairs Minister Maigari Dingyadi told reporters at the end of the meeting that the  invaders  overpowered the minimal security presence at the facility as a result of their large number and superior fire power.

The six Boko Haram and ISWAP suspected financers were in the group of 48 leaders spotted by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and subsequently arrested by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

One of the escapees is Muhammed Sani rated as the second in command in the Boko Haram hierarchy.

Security sources believe he is more powerful than the symbolic Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, who was killed in a battle with ISWAP in Sambisa Forest in May 2021.

The remaining ‘deadly leaders’ taken away from the correctional centre were identified as Yusuf Ali Yusuf, Mansur Usman, Zakari Nabil, Sadiq Garba Abubakar and Yazid Usman.

A source familiar with the development said: “Strong indications pointed to the fact that these six were among a group of 48 leaders arrested by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) based on financial intelligence analysis conducted by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).