Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports.
An unknown number of soldiers were said to have been killed on Thursday night by Boko Haram terrorists who stormed an army checkpoint near Zuma Rock, which is located on the border between the FCT and Niger State.
According to sources, the terrorists arrived at Zuma Rock around 8.30 p.m. on the axis of Madalla and Suleija along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway and caught the soldiers off guard by opening fire from various angles.
“They were shooting at the checkpoint continuously for almost an hour, but soldiers at the checkpoint fought back and the shooting stopped after a while,” a source said.
The terrorists, according to sources, abandoned their mission of moving into Abuja and retreated towards the Kaduna axis.
While fleeing, the bandits, who were said to be on several motorcycles, reportedly attacked and stole food from villages and shops in Madalla.
Following the terrorists’ retreat, additional troops and equipment from the army’s Zuma Barracks base were deployed to the scene to stabilize and take control of the situation.
According to a source, a joint security operations team was patrolling the axis when they heard gunshots and rushed to the scene, only to discover that a battle between soldiers and bandits was still going on.
According to the source, security personnel immediately radioed the Army Barracks at Zuma Rock, prompting the deployment of reinforcements to the scene.
According to reports, the fighting caused a major traffic jam on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, trapping motorists who were afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
Six days earlier, terrorists ambushed a Presidential Guards patrol team on the Bwari-Kubwa road, killing six soldiers and officers after receiving intelligence that they were planning an attack on the Nigerian Law School in Bwari.
The Attack And Other Kidnapping Incidents Have Raise Tensions In The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), With Schools Closing Starting With The Management Of Federal Government College, Kwali, Asking Parents To Evacuate Their Children From The School Due To A Bandit Attack In A Neighboring Community 24 Hours Earlier.
Remember that on July 5, 2022, terrorists detonated bombs inside Kuje Prison in Abuja, killing an NSCDC officer and blowing open the gates, freeing over 800 inmates, including 66 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist commanders and members.
Terrorists had also threatened President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El Rufai with kidnapping.
