Senior Army Officer Killed During Suspected Kidnap Attempt in Nasarawa
By Sabiu Abdullahi
A senior Nigerian Army officer, Col. Abdussalam A. Ude, has been killed after suspected kidnappers attacked his residence in Badna, New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The attack occurred on Monday night in the border community near the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Initial reports had incorrectly suggested that the incident took place in Abuja.
According to sources in the community, the gunmen stormed the officer’s residence during a heavy downpour and attempted to abduct him. The officer reportedly resisted the attackers before they shot him several times.
A resident, who is a journalist, and a community leader confirmed the incident.
“They came during the rain. They wanted to kidnap him, but he resisted. He was shot multiple times,” one of the sources said.
The source added that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Kurudu visited the scene on Tuesday and evacuated the deceased’s body to a morgue.
“The DPO of Kurudu was there earlier today. He took the corpse to a morgue,” the source added.
Earlier, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, said the incident did not occur within the command’s jurisdiction.
“This didn’t happen under our jurisdiction. It happened in Nasarawa. Contact the Nasarawa command,” she said.
The spokesperson for the Nasarawa State Police Command, SP Ramhan Nansel, also said he was unaware of the incident when contacted.
However, the FCT Police Command later released a statement confirming that its investigation established that the attack took place in Badna, New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and not within the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the command, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, ordered an investigation immediately after reports of the attack circulated online.
“Investigations revealed that the incident occurred in Badna, New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, and not within the jurisdiction of the FCT Police Command as falsely portrayed in the circulating publications,” the statement read.
The command criticised reports that placed the incident in Abuja. It said the inaccurate reports created unnecessary panic among residents of the nation’s capital.
“The command is concerned that some blogs and media outlets, in an attempt to gain traction, have deliberately attributed the incident to the FCT, thereby creating unnecessary panic, heightening public anxiety, and misinforming residents of the nation’s capital,” it stated.
The police also disclosed that the Commissioner of Police had directed the deployment of operational and intelligence assets to communities bordering Nasarawa State to prevent criminal elements from entering the FCT.
“The CP FCT command has proactively ordered the immediate deployment of operational and intelligence assets to border communities adjoining the FCT with Nasarawa State, to prevent any attempt by criminal elements to infiltrate the Federal Capital Territory or perpetrate any criminal activity within the nation’s capital,” the statement added.
The command urged media organisations and members of the public to verify security-related information before publication. It warned that inaccurate reports could erode public confidence and create unnecessary fear.
Meanwhile, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, said a statement on the incident was being prepared.