NDA attack – Our security architecture was compromised, says Nigerian Defence Academy

GUNMEN wearing army uniform, in the early hours of Tuesday, invaded the country’s foremost military institution, the Nigerian Defence Academy, Afaka, Kaduna, killing two officers and abducting one.

Nigeria Standard gathered that when the gunmen entered the NDA permanent site along Airport Road, Afaka, in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State around 1am, they came through a broken fence and caught the residents unawares.

It was learnt that the gunmen, who headed in different parts of the premises, caught the officers on duty off guard because they were wearing military uniform.

It was gathered that the situation was worsened by the fact that officers who were manning the institution’s Closed Circuit Television cameras were caught napping and could not raise the alarm when the bandits stormed the academy.

A source stated that the attackers had already wreaked havoc and subdued the few soldiers who tried to resist them by the time residents got to know about the attack.

Nigeria Standard gathered that the military authorities, who were embarrassed by the invasion, had started compiling the names of errant personnel to be court-martialed.

It was learnt that besides the two officers who were killed, another officer, 2nd Lt Onah, who was injured during the attack, was receiving treatment in a medical facility within the institution.

The officers killed by the gunmen were Lieutenant Commander Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Commander Okoronkwo; while one Major Datong was said to be missing.

The gunmen also shot and injured Onah.

A top military officer, who confided in Nigeria Standard, stated, “In a Gestapo style, gunmen in military camouflage invaded the NDA, gunning down two officers, a naval officer and an Air Force officer, after gaining access to the well-fortified institution.

“The gunmen came in large numbers.

They were fully kitted in military camouflage and forced their way into the academy before proceeding to the officers’ quarters.

Their targets were probably the cadets (students).

”Sources explained that the embarrassing attack on the academy could have been foiled if the security guards were alert and vigilant.

A source stated, “Preliminary findings revealed that the security guards were either asleep or not on duty during the attack.

Further investigation will show what aided the attack; whether it was insiders’ connivance, negligence or dereliction of duty by the guards or other extraneous factors or circumstances.

”The military institution is opposite the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, where 39 students were abducted by bandits on March 11, 2021.

The bandits had demanded N500m to free the captives a few days after the abduction.

But they were released after spending 50 days in the bandits’ den following the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

It’s terrible, a big embarrassment, ACF laments

The ACF, through its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, said the attack highlighted the parlous state of security in the country.

The ACF spokesman spoke with one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Tuesday shortly after the attack.

He said, “It’s a terrible development.

It underscores our perilous state of security in Nigeria and the uncountable calls by the ACF and others for something to be done by the government to improve our collective security.

“The latest security breach is another embarrassment to the ACF.

The NDA is a proud monument of the efforts of the first generation of northerners, who fought hard to bring development to the North; the likes of Muhammadu Ribadu, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Sir Ahmadu Bello, who brought the institution to Kaduna.

They did not bring it here for our generation to hand it over to bandits or whatever we call them.