•••ORDERS MILITARY TO GO AFTER BANDITS
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed anguish over the death of seven personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who were ambushed and killed by bandits in Kaduna State while on official duty.
President Buhari in a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) on Thursday described the loss of the NSCDC personnel as a tragic event and salutes the courage of the men who gave their lives to the nation.
He noted, “The NSCDC personnel who braved all challenges to guard our nation and its people had made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
“My thoughts are with the bereaved families and their compatriots in the service. May Almighty God grant them and the entire service the fortitude to bear the loss.”
The President however directed the Armed Forces to seek the bandits who inflicted this casualty and make them pay the price.
Seven personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and five others from other security agencies were killed in an ambush by bandits in Kaduna on Tuesday.
The Director Public Relations of the NSCDC Headquarters, Mr Olusola Odumosu, said in a statement that the “personnel who were attached to the Kaduna State Ministry of Mines were ambushed and killed by bandits while on official duty at a mining site in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.
According to him, the 12 security personnel were killed on Monday 9th of January 2023, at about 10.00hrs at the Kuriga mining site in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.
Odumosu who said that the bandits took away the riffles of the slain security personnel, added that their bodies have been recovered and deposited at the Barau Diko Hospital Kaduna.
“The Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, described the unfortunate incident as a big loss to the Corps, families of the slain victims and the nation.
“He commiserates with the families and friends of the deceased and prays that God grants them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
“In honour of the slain personnel, the CG has directed that the Corps’ flag be hoisted at half-mast and that a national prayer involving both Christians and muslims be organized at the Corps National headquarters, Abuja, to pray for Gods protection for all officers and men of the Corps in the new year and avert a recurrence of such awful incident.” He had said
