A Captain and two soldiers belonging to the Presidential Brigade of Guards were killed by terrorists on Sunday night in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), credible sources close to military high command told Daily Trust yesterday.
The Captain and the two soldiers were attached to the 7 Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
The Army had earlier issued an initial report on the attack titled ‘Ambush Attack Against Own Troops Of Gds Bde,’ which read: “At about 241620A Jul 22, own tps of 7 Gds Bn on routine ptl along Rd Kubwa – Bwari were ambushed by suspected terr. 3 x sldrs were injured during the attk. The sldrs have been evacuated to 7 Gds Bn MRS for med attn. Details on the extend of their injuries still under cfm. The ambushed attk happening within the gen area of Bwari shows that the terrs are actually within the loc and possibly to carry out their plans of attacking the law schl in Bwari as earlier reported.”
The soldiers were reportedly ambushed after they visited the Nigeria Law School in Bwari following a distressed call from the authorities of the school. The school management was said to have alerted that terrorists had dropped a letter indicating an imminent attack on the school.
One of our sources said, “Following the threat letter from the terrorists, the leadership of the Nigerian Law School drew the attention of the military authorities at the 7 Guards Brigade.
“The late army captain (names withheld) and the soldiers were dispatched to the school for preliminary investigation.
“They had a discussion with authorities at the school and agreed on what to do to safeguard students, teachers and school facilities. Sadly on their way back, the terrorists ambushed them and that was how the captain and two soldiers were killed,” he said.
The source said other persons in the party escaped the attackers by whiskers.
Our correspondent was told that all stakeholders were asked to keep the threat on the law school, including the killing of the soldiers, secret.
“They said even the staff in the school should not be allowed to know what is happening because it will embarrass the government.”
Another source said following the threat, there was a plan to dispatch a Joint Task Force to beef up security around the Nigerian Law School and Bwari Area Council at large.
He said besides the law school, other facilities in Bwari, especially those belonging to the government are now under threat and the people were now living in fear.
“This is the height of onslaught on the Federal Capital Territory, the seat of power,” he said.
“But the truth is that the threats have been there for long, nobody in the security circle in Nigeria will tell you that he or she is not aware of the threat on Abuja and the FCT at large.
“The terrorists have established cells in many communities around the FCT.
That is why abductions have become a daily occurrence around Kuje, Gwagalada and the remaining area councils in the last one year or thereabouts.
“The target of the terrorists is to embarrass the government. They are in control of many communities in all the contiguous States to the FCT and they are finally here,” he said.
Army confirms attack, says troops combing area
When contacted, the Spokesperson of the Guards Brigade, Captain Godfrey Anebi Abakpa, confirmed the attack.
Captain Abakpa said troops were already combing the general areas in order to ensure that no more terrorist is hibernating around the area.
Terrorists have recently taken over swats of territories and communities from where they launched an unrestrained attack on the Kuje Prisons, rescuing all their 69 comrades in the prison.
They have been attacking villages in the nation’s capital with the latest being the kidnap of a monarch in Kucihbuyi, a community in Bwari Area Council.
The terrorists have sacked many communities in Abaji, Kuje Kwali and Gwagwalada Area Councils, forcing many farmers to abandon their farmlands.
Originally published in Daily Trust