No fewer than 21 have been confirmed dead as a combined team of operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, and men of the Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, yesterday foiled an attack on the DSS Headquarters.
The office is a few metres away from one of the gates of the Presidential Villa in the Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
It was the second time terrorists would make a brazen incursion into the zone which houses Nigeria’s three arms of government, the Presidential Villa, the National Assembly and the Supreme Court.
Terrorists had on October 1, 2010 detonated bombs close to the Eagle Square, where President Goodluck Jonathan and other dignitaries, including foreign heads of state, were commemorating Nigeria’s golden jubilee celebration.
DSS spokeswoman, Marilyn Ogar, said the 18 people were killed during the crossfire between operatives and terror suspects, who attempted to escape from its detention facility.
She dismissed fears of an external attack, saying some of the suspects had tried to escape having attacked one of its operatives.
She said that two service personnel also sustained serious injuries, adding that three other detainees who sustained gunshot injuries during the incident had also died.
Ogar said that investigation was still ongoing to ascertain the immediate and remote causes.
She said that all roads leading to the DSS office had been cordoned-off to prevent possible assistance from external collaborators.
Ogar said: “At about 7:15am, the suspects’ handler went to the detention facility within the headquarters to feed the suspects.
“One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff.”
According to her, the suspect’s attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.
Ogar added that the gun shots attracted the attention of the military, which the DSS had an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat.
She explained that the gun shots from outside were those of soldiers who were trying to ward off any possible external collaborators.
“The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators.
“During this period, the precinct of the office and adjoining neighbourhood were thoroughly searched. The situation has since been brought under control,” the spokesperson said.
She restated DSS commitment to the safety of Nigerians and the nation at large.
Ogar, however, did not immediately disclose the identity of those who attempted to escape from detention, but security sources said some of them had been recently arrested and were yet to be charged to court.
There have been intelligence reports and predictions of a possible terror attack on the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
National Mirror learnt that guards within the Presidential Villa also fired some shots from the gates, while a helicopter gunship hovered over the Aso Drive, which is part of the zone.
The area was immediately locked down while traffic was diverted by some soldiers who had stationed several Armoured Personnel Carriers in strategic locations.
When National. Mirror visited the Presidential Villa, security had been beefed up at the rear entrance gate close to the Fire Service Station near the Force Headquarters as access was not allowed thorough the gate.
Security operatives directed those driving into the Villa to access it through the entrance gate at the Federal Secretariat close to the Supreme Court complex.
Security was also beefed up at the other entrance gate close to the DSS headquarters, though it had remained locked shortly after the bomb blast incident during the 50th independence anniversary on October 1, 2010.
The office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, and the Millennium Park are located within the vicinity.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said: “What happened at the SSS Headquarters this morning (yesterday) was an attempted jailbreak which had been effectively foiled. There is no cause for alarm.”
In another tweet later, Abati said: “What happened at the SSS Headquarters has nothing to do with the Villa. President Jonathan is safe and well. Thank you for your concern and support.”
The Presidential Villa was calm and there was no indication that there was any threat to the seat of power.
However, at the Asokoro entrance to the Headquarters of the DSS, a military pick-up van with armed soldiers were seen parked a few metres to Aso Drive, which is the clearance point into the gate of the DSS building.
Also, at the gate leading to the Presidential Villa from the DSS headquarters, another pick-up van with soldiers were seen keeping vigil on the entrance to the Villa.
Security was also beefed up at the Police Head quarters located close to the Presidential Vila as armoured vehicle blocked the entrance into the Louis Edet House building of the Police Headquarters.
Only two lanes of the four-lane road in front of the police headquarters building were opened to motorist, while the other two lanes for oncoming vehicles were blocked.
Staff and visitors to the police headquarters could only gain access to the building after their vehicles had been thoroughly screened and cleared.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, said it had successfully handled the security threat at the DSS Headquarters.
Speaking to National Mirror in Abuja, the Director of Defence Information, DDI, and Coordinator of the Joint Security Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, also said that the massive deployment of troops strategically on Saturday along the Musa Yar’Adua Way leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport had nothing to do with the development at the DSS.
There was an unusual deployment of troops along that axis of the territory on Saturday.
Although National Mirror learnt that the deployment might have been due to President Goodluck Jonathan’s return to the city, military sources, however, said that there was more to it as the deployment was quite unusual.
Whenever President Jonathan was going out or returning, security operatives, mostly police, always line up along the road to direct vehicular movements and keep security along the road up to the Villa gate, with police vans deployed for such operation.
However, during Saturday’s deployment, heavily armed combat ready soldiers took over the road and kept eagle eyes on the bushes and hilltops with others in addition to the presence of police operatives.
Two trucks with other smaller ones suspected to be conveying weapons were parked on the middle of the cordoned off road, and guarded on every side by heavily armed soldiers.
Military sources told National Mirror that there was security information of possible attempts to attack the territory, adding that security had been greatly improved throughout Abuja.
The operation was said to have been helpful in aborting the attack on the DSS headquarters but Olukolade, who did not clarify on the operation, insisted that it was a coincidence and had nothing to do with yesterday’s development at the DSS.
He urged citizens to be calm and go about their lawful duties while supplying useful information to security agencies to help in the fight against terrorism in the country.
(Nat'l Mirror)
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