Eight elite Brigade of Guards troops were killed by terrorists in Abuja less than a week ago, and more died on Thursday night, July 29, in Abuja, while President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the National Security Council meeting.
At least six soldiers were killed when suspected terrorists attacked a military checkpoint in Niger State, around seven kilometres from the federal capital.
Following the outrageous assault on soldiers on July 24 that sparked a national outcry, the checkpoint in Madalla town on the Abuja-Kaduna route came under attack.
The terrorists ambushed the soldiers as they were leaving an operation.
The latest attack on Thursday, described as retaliation for the killings of 30 of their gang members during the week, occurred at 7 pm.
A military source said;
The terrorists took control of the area for about 30 minutes and kept on shooting before heading towards the Kaduna axis of the expressway.
A few minutes after the terrorists left, soldiers from the Zuma barracks and a patrol team of policemen rushed to the scene and took control.
The incursion of terrorists into Abuja forced the government to shut schools this week to prevent attacks on schools and abductions of students.
In the offensive going on in Abuja, the defence headquarters on Thursday confirmed that the military had sent reinforcements, saying at least 30 terrorists had been killed.
The military on July 24 used ground forces and attack aircraft to target terrorists, Gen Benard Onyeuko, military spokesman, said on Thursday.
Troops successfully cleared Kawu and Ido villages. Consequently, about 30 terrorists were neutralised and their enclave and hideout destroyed.
A Tough Situation
Additionally, two AK-47 weapons, one fully loaded LMG magazine, six motorcycles, and other goods were seized, the speaker said.
President Buhari presided over a national security meeting on Thursday night, and at the conclusion of the meeting, presidential adviser Babagana Monguno stated that Nigeria was in a “very tough situation.”
He claimed that the president was aware of the public’s worries regarding the rise in insecurity.
In order to stop the violence, other members of Nigerian society must be involved, he said, citing the Security Council meeting.
Buhari said;
It’s not something that should be confined to only the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
When we keep saying it is a whole of society approach, whole of government approach, a whole of nation approach, what it means is that everybody has to partake in this enterprise.
The truth is that no country can ever overcome the difficulties of an asymmetric conflict by virtue of the fact that the enemy of the state is embedded within the population, within the wider society.
He acknowledged that local people were scared and averse to helping the state but said their support was needed.
That is understandable. But without their support, without their cooperation in terms of giving information, it makes it very hard for the operational elements.
