Boko Haram ambushes NSCDC squad, seven missing

Suspected Boko Haram members have ambushed personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad (CGSIS), on inspection of national grid installation at Farin- Kasa Area of Chikun Local Government Area, in Kaduna State on Monday, November 18, while crossing from the Shiroro axis.

The incident was said to have occurred around 15.40 hours, (3:40pm), when the convoy comprising nine officers and 71 other ranks drawn from the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Command and the Kaduna State Command respectively, were waylaid by the terrorist group, a statement from the NSCDC headquarters stated.

According to the agency, the officers were sent out on the special assignment following the incessant collapse of the national grid power installation which has been under attack by bandits recently.

Recall that the nation experienced total blackout recently due to the collapse of the national grid as a result of incessant attack on the facilities by bandits and vandalism of the installation by the same group of people, which led to the setting up of the Special Monitoring Squad by the NSCDC Commandant General (CG), Dr Ahmed Audi, to assess the state of damage, conduct surveillance activities and possibly arrest and bring perpetrators to book.

However, the combined team which embarked on patrol of the Installation from Shiroro along some flash points and vulnerable areas, came across some stranded expatriates in the bush around Dagwachi Village axis returning from a mining site at Tutu area of Niger state, that joined the convoy in a bid to protect them through Farin- Kasa Area of Chukun LGA in Kaduna.

Unknown to them, over 200 armed Boko Haram elements had laid an ambushed on a vengeful mission against security operatives who they claimed had been giving them problems.

“And from the top of a hill located at Farin-Kasa, they opened fire upon sighting the long convoy of the NSCDC monitoring team using different sophisticated weapons.

In a heavy exchange of gunfire, NSCDC operatives repelled the attack and successfully neutralised over 50 of the terrorists in the crossfire.

But as at the time of filing this report, the agency said “about 7 operatives of the NSCDC are currently missing in action and efforts are currently underway to locate them in the bush, while a few others who sustained various degrees of Injuries are currently undergoing medical treatment in a Medical facility.”

Reiterating the agency’s commitment, the Commandant General said that “The NSCDC as the leading agency in the protection of critical national asset and infrastructure will not be cowed or deterred by any attack by terrorist or any group of saboteurs trying to sabotage the efforts of government towards actualizing the renewed hope agenda of Mr. president in ensuring the revival of the power sector for a stable electricity supply nationwide.”

In the meantime, the Commandant General while awaiting the full brief on the incident from the officers on the field described the attack on NSCDC personnel as “callous, unfortunate and an attack too many on security operatives who have sworn to the defence of the country. ”

He assured that the Corps commitment to safeguarding all critical national assets and Infrastructure without compromise and commended the courage, resilience and gallantry of the operatives in neutralising over 50 of the bandits despite the attack from the mountain top and that the Corps is proud of them and would never forget such unflinching commitment.