Nigerian Army colonel shot dead while resisting kidnappers in Abuja

A serving Nigerian military intelligence officer, Abdussalam Ude, was shot dead after allegedly resisting an attempt by armed assailants to abduct him at his residence in the Kurudu area of Abuja.

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The incident occurred on Monday evening shortly after the senior officer arrived at his home, according to PRNigeria. The attackers reportedly opened fire as he alighted from his vehicle before attempting to whisk him away.

Mr Ude, a Nigerian Army colonel, resisted the gunmen despite being outnumbered, preventing them from abducting him. Security sources quoted by the publication said the assailants subsequently shot him multiple times at close range, killing him.

The attack also left the officer’s wife, his driver and a security guard with gunshot injuries. They were taken to hospital and are receiving treatment.

The army has not released an official statement about the incident. When contacted, the army’s spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, told PREMIUM TIMES that she would get back to our reporter.

Kurudu, where the incident occurred, is located on the outskirts of Abuja and is home to thousands of residents, including army officers and soldiers, at army estates.

There have been many kidnapping cases in the Nigerian capital, many of them in communities on the outskirts of the city. Security agencies have also apprehended many suspected kidnappers in the city.

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According to PRNigeria, Mr Ude had served in several strategic intelligence and counter-terrorism roles within the Armed Forces. He was said to have participated in operations against insurgents in Nigeria’s North-east and undertaken specialised international assignments in Chad and France.

The circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation, while security agencies have launched efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The officer, who hailed from Enugu State, was due for promotion to the rank of brigadier general next year. His burial was scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Mambilla Mosque in Abuja in accordance with Islamic rites.