At least an Army captain and two soldiers were killed by terrorists during an ambush near the Nigerian Law School in Bwari Abuja hours after they threatened to abduct President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other top government officials.
The attack took place on Sunday night and it was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Guards Brigade, Captain Godfrey Anebi Abakpa.
The Presidential Guards Brigade is an elite brigade of the Nigerian Army responsible for protecting the President of Nigeria and securing the capital city.
The slain officers were drawn from the 7 Guards
Brigade based in Lungi Baracks, Maitama Abuja, it was learned.
The soldiers were reportedly ambushed after they visited the law school following a distressed call from the authorities of the school, according to Daily Trust on Monday.
The authorities of the school had alerted that terrorists had dropped a letter indicating an imminent attack on the school.
“Following the threat letter from the terrorists, the leadership of the Nigerian Law School drew the attention of the military authorities at the 7 Guards Brigade,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying.
“They had a discussion with authorities at the school and agreed on what to do to safeguard students, teachers and school facilities. Sadly on their way back, the terrorists ambushed them and that was how the captain and two soldiers were killed,” the source said.
This incident happened hours after the terrorists who attacked the Kaduna train and took hostages threatened Buhari, El-Rufai and other senators in a vital video.
The Presidency in a statement by Garba Shehu dismissed the threat as propaganda and insisted that the armed forces are neither clueless nor helpless.
Despite the presidential assurances, the terrorists have triggered series of events that created atmosphere of chaos and distrust in the capital city hitherto seen as beyond the reach of the terrorists.
Earlier on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education had shut down Federal Government College Kwali Abuja over security breach near the school.
The college was shut following security breach on Sheda and Lambata Villages, suburbs of Kwali Area Council which also threatened FGC Kwali. The minister said the timely intervention of security agencies saved the situation.
Hours later, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) hurriedly directed the shut down of all private and public schools in Abuja.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that on July 5, Boko Haram fighters believed to be Kaduna train attackers, stormed Kuje Prison in Abuja, freeing 879 inmates, including 69 terrorists in its custody.
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) said 443 of the fleeing inmates have been recaptured, 551 were still at large; while four inmates and one Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) official were killed.
