. AFCSC commandant briefs Army boss, says officers on military exercise exchanged fire with bandits around college premises on Tuesday
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have laid siege to the premises of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Residents of the area said the mission of the suspected gunmen was to abduct some staff of the college and some residents of the communities around the military institution.
Recall that barely two months ago, bandits stormed the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Mando, also in Kaduna and abducted 39 students.
AFCSC is a training institution for the personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy.
Some residents of the area noted that the bandits have always surrounded the institution while terrorising the communities around the college.
“It is only Allah that has been saving us. They (bandits) have always rustled cows in our communities. Military operatives do engage them in gun battle anytime they come around, that is why we don’t have major casualties yet,” a resident, Adamu said.
AFCSC Commandant, Air Marshal Olayinka Alade, confirmed this on Wednesday in Abuja when he visited the Army Headquarters to brief Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim, on the development and other issues in the institution.
Alade said the college had decided to carry out impromptu search and clearance operations in some communities where the bandits are operating around the institution, having informed the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna.
The AFCSC Commandant said, “There are some communities around the school that have developed and because it is like part of the college, maybe they are hiding under that cover, so some bandits are there. Because of that, there is collaboration with other institutions’ heads in the college. Constantly, we try to conduct an impromptu searching. We conduct search and patrol from time to time.
“What we discovered now is that, not too far ahead, some communities… it is like all these bandits have made all that place their aim, so I discussed with GOC 1 Div. From time to time, we need to carry out clearance operations.”
The Commandant further disclosed that the bandits rustled some cows behind the college on Tuesday, resulting in an exchange of fire between them and the military operatives.
He, however, did not disclose whether there was any casualty, noting that he came to brief the COAS so as not to be surprised if he later hears anything about the development.
He said, “In fact, yesterday (Tuesday), I was told that some bandits came to come and rustle some cows just behind us. There was an exercise that was carried out by the NACI. They actually encountered these bandits, they had to exchange fire during the exercise.
“Those are the things we’re trying to ensure that we are not surprised if they have come that close, then, we need to sit tight and ensure we clear that place.”