Suspected terrorists on Sunday laid an ambush for personnel of the Presidential Guards Brigade while on patrol at the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
Three soldiers injured during the attack are currently receiving medical attention.
A military source told one of our correspondents that the troops engaged the attackers and successfully repelled them.
The source said, “The troops of the elite Guards Brigade were ambushed along Bwari-Kubwa road, but the ambush was forcefully repelled by the Guards Brigade troops.
“The troops were on a routine patrol of the area when they were attacked. However, three soldiers were wounded in the attack and they are already being treated at a military hospital in Abuja.”
When contacted, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Guards Brigade Abuja, Capt. Godfrey Abakpa, confirmed the attack, adding that the troops were combing the area to apprehend the criminals.
He said, “They were attacked and the attack was successfully repelled. We had few wounded in action who have been taken to the hospital and receiving treatment.
“At the moment, our troops are still combing the area to get rid of the criminals that have been threatening the area.”
Govt shuts school
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has shut down the Federal Government College, Kwali, Abuja, following intelligence report that it may be attacked by suspected terrorists after an attack on nearby communities.
The Minister of Education, Mr Adamu Adamu, in a statement on Monday directed the immediate closure of the school and also ordered the evacuation of the students.
The statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Goong, was titled, ‘FG orders closure of FGC Kwali, security beef-up in Unity Colleges.’
It read, “The Federal Ministry of Education has ordered the immediate closure of one of its colleges, the Federal Government College Kwali, located in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, who gave the directive in the early hours of this (Monday) morning said the closure became necessary following a security breach on Sheda and Lambata villages, suburbs of Kwali Area Council which also threatened FGC Kwali.
“According to the minister, the timely intervention of security agencies saved the situation.’’
Adamu also directed that arrangements should be made for the final year students to conclude their NECO examinations.
“The minister has also directed principals of unity colleges across the country to liaise with security agencies within their jurisdictions in order to forestall any security breach in our schools,” the statement added.
Although only the FGC was directed to be shut down, The PUNCH gathered that other schools in the neighbourhood have asked their students to vacate the premises latest by Wednesday.
The schools were said to have asked parents to pick their children and wards due to rising fear and anxiety over the reported threat.
Experts lament
A security expert, Timothy Avele, lamented that insecurity was getting closer to the nation’s seat of power.
He said, “This only confirms what many security experts including the media have been shouting from the rooftop on the escalating insecurity now encircling the seat of power.
“Government School in Kwali was closed yesterday too for fear of attack. Sadly, everyone is feeling it won’t happen close to him or her.”
Another expert, Oladele Fajana, said, “The FG and security operatives should step up their actions. The intention of terrorists is to be feared and once they can achieve that, they would brazenly carry out their attacks. This is what they are doing and our security operatives must ensure the criminals are brought to book.”
