Six missing Presidential Guards soldiers ambushed and killed by terrorists
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Six soldiers in the elite Presidential Guards Brigade declared Missing In Action (MIA) after terrorists ambushed their patrol team on the Bwari-Kubwa road on Monday have been found dead.
“(Capt Samuel and Lt Jauro) x 6 KIA (Killed In Action). Their bodies were found this evening,” the report of the search and rescue team said.
The report, titled, “Ambush Against own Troops of Gds Brde”, also disclosed that three soldiers injured in the attack were evacuated to the NAOWA Hospital in Abuja for treatment.
Terrorists attacked the troops “within Bwari and possibly to carry out their plans of attacking the (Nigerian) Law School in Bwari area,” the report added, according to reporting by Vanguard.
The dead were among Presidential Guards Brigade troops who did a joint patrol with the 7 Guards Battalion on the Bwari-Kubwa road on Monday.
Sources previously disclosed that Captain Samuel Attah who was killed on Monday was from Kogi, the same state of Lieutenant Ibrahim Suleiman who was among those MIA.
Attah was reportedly the son of retired Colonel Ahmodu Babanawa who hails from Ibaji/Okpo in Olamaboro Council in Kogi.
The Nigerian Army Guards Brigade provides security for the Presidential Villa in Abuja and neighbouring communities.
The attack came a day after terrorists in a video named President Muhammad Bihari, Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and other government officials as their next targets.
“Troops on routine patrol along Kubwa-Bwari road were ambushed by suspected terrorists. Three soldiers were injured during the attack. The soldiers have been evacuated for medical attention,” an intelligence source told Vanguard.
He disclosed that those injured are receiving treatment at a military medical facility in Abuja and efforts are on to locate and rescue the MIAs.
Another source said it is likely some soldiers who escaped the ambush with bullet wounds had paid the supreme price but until they were found, they would still be considered as MIA.
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Army solicits information from public
Guards Brigade spokesman Captain Godfrey Anebi Abakpa confirmed on Monday that terrorists ambushed troops as they patrolled the Bwari area based on intelligence that the Nigerian Law School in Bwari may be attacked.
Authorities at the Law School alerted the public that terrorists had dropped a letter threatening an imminent attack.
Abakpa recounted that it was when troops responded to the fears of the Law School and residents of the area that the terrorists attacked the troops combing the vicinity.
He said the attack taking place around Bwari “shows the terrorist were actually within the location and possibly preparing to carry out their plans to attack the Nigerian Law School in Bwari as earlier reported.”
He advised residents of the area to act lawfully and to keep on cooperating with the security agencies by providing them with information to enable them defeat terrorists.
“Yes, they (troops) were attacked and the attack was successfully repelled. We had a few wounded in action who have been taken to the hospital and are receiving treatments,” Abakpa explained.
“At the moment our troops are still combing the general area to get rid of the criminals that have been threatening the general area.
“It is advised that residents go about their lawful businesses and keep cooperating with us by giving us timely information to enable us win the fight against the criminals.”
