In a shocking midnight raid that has sent ripples of fear through Nigeria’s security and academic circles, heavily armed gunmen attacked the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, on Monday night, killing two soldiers and one police officer.
The attack according to Daily Trust occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, targeted the staff quarters of the elite institute — a premier think-tank where top government officials, military officers, and policymakers undergo strategic leadership training.
Targeted Threats and the Bloody Outcome
According to credible sources, the gunmen appeared to have a specific mission. Days earlier, the Acting Director of Studies, Barrister Nima Salman-Mann, and a Directing Staff, Professor Haruna Dabin, had received handwritten ransom notes pasted on their doors. The notes demanded $100,000 from one and N15 million from the other. The staff reported the threats to management, but the attackers struck before any preventive measures could fully take effect.
When the gunmen arrived, they engaged security personnel in a fierce gun battle. Two soldiers and one police officer on night duty at the staff quarters were killed during the exchange of fire. The bodies of the fallen security operatives have since been deposited at a mortuary.
Dr Osime Samuel, Head of Public Affairs at NIPSS, confirmed the incident in a statement but was careful with details. He said the situation was quickly brought under control by a swift response from security forces, adding that there is currently no threat to participants, staff, residents, or the institute’s facilities. Normal activities, he assured, are continuing as scheduled.
A Direct Assault on a National Asset
NIPSS is not an ordinary institution. It is Nigeria’s foremost policy think-tank, where senior government officials, military top brass, and technocrats are groomed for strategic leadership. An attack on its campus is being viewed by many as not just a security breach, but a direct assault on one of the nation’s most important intellectual and policy nerve centres.
Security sources believe the gunmen may have intended to kidnap the two targeted officials but were forced to retreat after meeting stiff resistance from the combined military and police team. Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive, whether the attackers were common criminals, bandits, or had a deeper political or ideological agenda.
This incident comes at a time when insecurity continues to plague parts of the North-Central region, with gunmen and bandits increasingly targeting soft but symbolic locations.
The management of NIPSS has appealed to the public and media to rely only on official communications while security agencies intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators.
The deadly attack at NIPSS has once again raised serious questions about the safety of critical national institutions and the men and women tasked with protecting them.
Source: Daily Trust
