The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has launched a full-scale manhunt for the gunmen who killed eight of its operatives during a deadly ambush in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Commandant General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Audi, on Monday announced the deployment of a Special Intelligence Squad and other elite tactical units to comb the forests, apprehend the perpetrators, and rescue a kidnapped Chinese expatriate.
The operatives were attacked last Friday night while providing security for critical infrastructure at the BUA Cement Company. Despite engaging the assailants in a fierce three-hour gun battle, eight officers were killed. Four expatriates working at the quarry site were, however, successfully rescued.
Prof. Audi praised the fallen officers for their resilience and dedication, describing them as gallant men who paid the supreme price in the line of duty.
To strengthen operations in the area, the CG has ordered the deployment of the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), and Special Protection Units, under the leadership of CC Dandaura Appollos, head of the Special Intelligence Squad.
He appealed to the public to provide credible information that could aid the investigation and assured that security around BUA facilities has been reinforced to protect both indigenous and expatriate workers, as well as other critical assets.
“The Corps will not succumb to threats or be deterred by the activities of subversive elements who carried out this heinous attack,” Prof. Audi declared. “We will remain focused, re-strategize, and continue to discharge our statutory mandates.”
He further emphasized that alongside kinetic measures, the Corps will sustain community engagement and civil relations as part of non-kinetic approaches to resolving security challenges in the area.
