Crime

NSCDC Team Ambushed in Kaduna: See the Numbers of Officers that Got Missing as 59 Boko Haram Militants Were Killed”

Published by Tope Fakinlede on November 20th, 2024.

NSCDC Team Ambushed in Kaduna: See the Numbers of Officers that Got Missing as 59 Boko Haram Militants Were Killed”

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA – A team from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was ambushed in Kaduna State on Monday, resulting in the neutralization of 59 bandits. The attack occurred after the squad completed a surveillance mission at the National Grid facility in Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.

According to sources, the ambush took place around 3:40 p.m. when a convoy of NSCDC personnel, consisting of nine officers and 71 other ranks from the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS), FCT Command, and Kaduna State Command, was attacked in the Farin-Kasa area of Chikun LGA.

NSCDC’s Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, confirmed the incident and reported that as of the latest update, seven officers remained unaccounted for.

The team had just completed a security inspection of the national grid installations in Shiroro when the ambush occurred. Recent attacks on national grid infrastructure by bandits had caused widespread power outages, prompting the creation of the Special Monitoring Squad by the NSCDC.

The NSCDC squad, during their patrol through vulnerable regions, came across some expatriates stranded near Dagwachi village, who had been returning from a mining site in Niger State. The expatriates joined the convoy for protection as they passed through Farin-Kasa.

Unbeknownst to the team, over 200 Boko Haram militants had set up an ambush in the area, seeking revenge on security forces they blamed for recent disruptions. The militants opened fire on the convoy from a hilltop, using advanced weaponry.

Despite being heavily outnumbered, the NSCDC team fought back fiercely, managing to eliminate more than 50 of the attackers. However, seven of the officers remain missing, and some others were injured in the skirmish. Those wounded are currently receiving medical care.

The NSCDC emphasized that this attack would not deter them from their mission to protect critical national infrastructure and support the government’s efforts to stabilize the electricity sector.

NSCDC’s Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Audi, condemned the attack, describing it as a senseless assault on personnel committed to safeguarding the nation. The agency is actively working to locate the missing officers and ensure the safety of their personnel in the region.