NSCDC operatives kill 50 insurgents in Kaduna

At least, 50 insurgents believed to be members of the Boko Haram terrorist group have been eliminated by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after a gun battle in Kaduna State.

The spokesman of the Corps, Babawale Afolabi, in a statement on Tuesday, said personnel had repelled an ambush by the group in Farin-Kasa, Kaduna State on Monday.

“The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ monitoring team for the national grid installation located in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have come under a heavy attack by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

“The incident occurred at about 15.40 hours when the convoy of the special monitoring squad comprising of 9 officers and 71 other ranks, drawn from the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS) operatives, FCT and Kaduna State commands, were ambushed at Farin-Kasa area of Chukun LGA in Kaduna State on Monday, 18th November while crossing from the Shiroro axis after the surveillance and monitoring oversight of the installations.

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“Unknown to them, over 200 armed Boko Haram elements had laid an ambush on a vengeful mission against security operatives who they claimed had been giving them problems. From the top of a hill located at Farin-Kasa, they opened fire upon sighting the convoy of the NSCDC monitoring team using different sophisticated weapons.

“The combined NSCDC operatives repelled the attack and successfully neutralised over 50 of the terrorists in the crossfire,” the statement said.

Afolabi, however, said seven operatives of the NSCDC were currently missing in action after the gun battle, adding that efforts were underway to locate them in the bush.

He added that a few others who sustained injuries are currently undergoing medical treatment in a medical facility.

Meanwhile, the Commandant General of the Corps, Ahmed Audi, while awaiting the full brief on the incident from the officers on the field, described the attack on NSCDC personnel as “callous, unfortunate and an attack too many on security operatives who have sworn to the defence of the country”.