A surveillance team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was ambushed by Boko Haram insurgents while inspecting the National Grid installation in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.
Seven officers of NSCDC are said to be missing during the attack that occurred on Monday in the Farin-Kasa area of Chukun Local Government Area, Kaduna.
The Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday
night.
According to the statement, the monitoring team inaugurated by the Commandant-General of the Corps, Dr Ahmed Audi comprising nine officers and 71 other ranks from various NSCDC commands, had completed surveillance activities in Shiroro and was en route to their base when they were attacked.
The statement read in part: “The incident occurred at about 15.40 hours when the convoy of the special monitoring squad comprising of 9 Officers and 71 other ranks drawn from the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS), operatives, FCT Command and Kaduna State Command respectively, were ambushed at Farin- Kasa Area of Chukun LGA in Kaduna State on Monday, 18th November while crossing from the Shiroro axis after the surveillance and monitoring oversight of the installations.
“Recall that the nation experienced a 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 Commandant General (CG), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to assess the state of damage, conduct surveillance activities and possibly arrest and bring perpetrators to book.
“The combined team which embarked on patrol of the National Grid Installation from Shiroro along some flash points and vulnerable areas, however, 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 dreaded armed Boko haram elements had laid 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.
“The Combined NSCDC operatives in the ambush, however, not overwhelmed by terrorists, repelled the attack and successfully neutralized over 50 of the terrorists in the crossfire.
“As at the time of filling this report, 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.
“The NSCDC as the leading agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure will not be cowed or deterred by any attack by terrorists 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,” it stated.
Meanwhile, 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 on too many security operatives who have sworn to the defense of the country.
He reiterated the Corp’s commitment to safeguarding all critical national assets and Infrastructure without compromise and commended the courage, resilience, and gallantry of the operatives in neutralizing over 50 of the bandits despite the attack from the mountaintop, affirming that the Corps is proud of them and would never forget such unflinching commitment.
and then