Jos – Gunmen stormed the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, in Kuru, Plateau State, on Monday night. Two soldiers and a police officer were killed in the shooting. The incident has since become known as the NIPSS Kuru attack.
The victims were on duty at the staff quarters of the institution. They were attacked when gunmen opened fire on security personnel guarding the facility.
Vanguard reported that the NIPSS Kuru attack began at about 11:40pm. The attackers struck near Jos and triggered a fierce exchange of gunfire with security operatives stationed at the institute.
A staff member told Punch that he was asleep when the shooting started. He said gunshots had already caused commotion within NIPSS before he realised the NIPSS Kuru attack was underway.
A resident of Kuru, Bulus Haruna, told the newspaper that the gunfire threw surrounding communities into panic. Residents said the sound of sustained shooting lasted several minutes.
Dr Osime Samuel, Head of Public Affairs at NIPSS, confirmed the attack in a statement on Tuesday. He did not give details of the casualties or the circumstances that led to the shooting.
“The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, wishes to inform the public that a security incident occurred in the vicinity of the Institute in the early hours of today,” he said.
Samuel added that the situation was brought under control quickly. He said security personnel responded swiftly to the threat.
He said there was no threat to the safety of participants, staff, residents or facilities of the institute. Normal activities, he added, were continuing as scheduled.
Daily Trust gathered that the gunmen had targeted two specific residences. They belonged to the Acting Director of Studies, Barrister Nima Salman-Mann, and a Directing Staff member, Professor Haruna Dabin.
Sources said both staff had received handwritten notes on Saturday. The notes were pasted on their doors, demanding $100,000 and N15 million each.
The threats were reported to management before the NIPSS Kuru attack took place. It is not yet clear whether the demands were linked directly to the killings.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the soldiers and the police officer died in an exchange of gunfire with the attackers. The source explained that local security watches the staff quarters during the day. Soldiers and police take over at night.
It is believed that the gunmen returned to the homes of the staff they had earlier threatened. The attackers reportedly fled after the gun battle.
Leadership reported that security agencies have commenced investigations into the NIPSS Kuru attack. The newspaper quoted NIPSS management as saying it was working closely with the appropriate authorities.
The institute said it would provide verified information as it becomes available. It urged the public and the media to rely only on official communications.
The Eagle Online reported that troops from Operation Enduring Peace cordoned off the Kuru area after the NIPSS Kuru attack. The unit oversees security across the Jos South axis.
Security forces were also said to be tracking the retreat path of the attackers. The gunmen are believed to have fled into surrounding hills and neighbouring communities.
Efforts by Punch to reach the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful at the time of filing. Official confirmation from the command was still pending.
The motive behind the NIPSS Kuru attack has not been officially confirmed. The extortion notes found at the targeted homes point to a financial motive.
Samuel said NIPSS appreciated the professionalism of the security personnel and agencies involved in the response. He thanked them for preventing further harm to the institute.
Security analysts say the NIPSS Kuru attack highlights growing concerns about the safety of strategic national institutions and their personnel. They argue that attacks targeting security operatives and senior officials could have wider implications for public confidence and security operations across Plateau State and neighbouring regions.
The bodies of the three security personnel killed in the NIPSS Kuru attack have been deposited at a mortuary, according to Daily Trust. Investigations into the shooting continue.
