…the NSCDC operatives engaged in a fierce three-hour gun battle against heavily armed assailants.
BENIN CITY, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | Following the brutal killing of eight operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Edo State, the Commandant General of the Corps, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the immediate deployment of a Special Intelligence Squad to comb surrounding forests and apprehend the perpetrators.
The slain officers, who were part of a unit deployed to secure the BUA Cement Company in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area, were ambushed late Friday night, September 5, while executing their duties related to the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI).
An eyewitness account revealed that the operatives engaged in a fierce three-hour gun battle against heavily armed assailants, during which eight NSCDC personnel lost their lives. Despite the losses, the officers reportedly managed to rescue four expatriates working at the quarry section of the company.
The attack also resulted in the abduction of a Chinese national, prompting the Commandant General to issue a direct order for the victim’s rescue and the attackers’ immediate capture.
In a statement on Monday, Prof. Audi described the ambush as heinous and vowed that the corps would not rest until justice is served.
“The corps will not succumb to any form of threats or be deterred by the activities of subversive elements,” he said.
“Rather, we shall re-strategise and stay focused on discharging our statutory mandates.”
To this end, a joint task force comprising the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT), and Special Protection Units has been dispatched to the region. The operation is led by Commandant Dandaura Appollos, head of the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad.
The Commandant General further appealed to residents and local communities to provide any useful information that could assist in tracking down the attackers.
He also assured the public that the NSCDC had upscaled security around the BUA Cement Company and its environs to guarantee the safety of both indigenous workers and expatriates, alongside the protection of national infrastructure.
While mourning the fallen officers, Prof. Audi commended their resilience and sacrifice, noting that the corps would continue to deploy both kinetic and non-kinetic (community engagement) strategies in tackling the rising security challenges in the area.
