The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reported that suspected Boko Haram terrorists ambushed its monitoring team in Kaduna, leaving seven officers missing.

In a statement on Tuesday, Afolabi Babawale, the NSCDC spokesperson, explained that the incident occurred on Monday in the Farin-Kasa area of Chikun LGA, Kaduna, while the monitoring team was inspecting the national grid installation in Shiroro, Niger State.

Babawale stated that the team, consisting of nine officers and 71 other ranks, was mobilized in response to recent attacks on power lines that had caused a blackout in northern Nigeria.

“As they patrolled vulnerable areas, they encountered stranded expatriates near Dagwachi village and allowed them to join the convoy for safety,” the statement reads.

“Unbeknownst to the team, over 200 armed Boko Haram militants had laid a deadly ambush from a hilltop, ready to unleash a torrent of gunfire on the unsuspecting convoy.

“Determined and resourceful, the NSCDC operatives fought back valiantly, managing to neutralise over 50 insurgents during the exchange.

“However, the chaos left seven officers unaccounted for, prompting an urgent search in the bush for their whereabouts. Those who sustained injuries are currently receiving medical treatment.”

Ahmed Audi, the NSCDC commandant-general, condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act against personnel dedicated to the nation’s defence.

He praised the bravery and determination of the operatives, reiterating the corps’ commitment to safeguarding critical national assets and infrastructure despite the growing security threats.

Doyin Okupe has stated that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, did not present any policy document to support his “consumption-to-production” mantra during the campaign.

Okupe, who was a former director-general of the LP presidential campaign, made these comments on Tuesday while evaluating President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He argued that Tinubu has a more comprehensive policy document than his rivals in the 2023 elections.

Okupe also claimed that Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), based his plans on theoretical loan arrangements.

He said that Tinubu has “meticulously” implemented the “renewed hope agenda” and has worked to pay off crippling debts in order to stabilize the economy.

“Tinubu has a better policy document than any of his two rivals during the 2023 presidential election,” NAN quoted Okupe as saying.

“Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is an experienced, knowledgeable, and thoroughbred politician.

“I know for a fact that he also came with a testament that would have been binding on him and Nigerians.

“But when you put the testament side-by-side the current reality on the ground, it is not applicable.”

Okupe added that the administration of former President Muhammad Buhari faced a dire financial situation, with international institutions refusing to lend loans to Nigeria.

“So, the premise Atiku placed his testament on was sinking, and it can’t work,” he said.

“As for Peter Obi of the Labour Party, he did not give any document to Nigerians that he was going to work on.

“In the Labour Party, we didn’t have a document that we could adopt as a policy document for what was going on.

“All we were saying was that we wanted to take Nigeria from consumption to production; good rhetoric, but it was not grounded either in policy development or principle application.”

Okupe also noted that Tinubu took action on foreign exchange issues, stopping individuals from exploiting earnings through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) connections.

“Two months after getting into government, he put up a committee to look into tax reform, which was in his agenda,” he said.

“This man (Tinubu) has a systematic, reliable, focused, and applicable agenda that can take Nigeria to enviable heights.

“Though I never supported Tinubu ahead of the election; he is not my friend, and we were not in the same party, in retrospect, however, his reform agenda is the most credible.

“The renewed hope agenda he (Tinubu) brought is one that can address, and is addressing, the country’s current challenges.”

The Nigerian Army has promised to probe officers allegedly involved in the assault of a couple in Abuja.

On Tuesday, a video of some soldiers, including a “major general,” seemingly beating up a couple in the nation’s capital city, went viral.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers stopped the couple for “unlawfully overtaking” their convoy.

The video showed men in military uniforms hitting the man as his wife hollered and protested.

“How did I bash your car? Oh God!!” the man said as he took one punch after another while writhing in pain.

Blood could be seen dripping from the man’s forehead following a slap from a soldier.

The couple said after the assault, the “major general” and his aide handcuffed them, shoved them into the trunk of a car, from where they were whisked to the Gwarimpa police station.

The soldiers reportedly ordered police officers to detain the couple indefinitely.

• ‘CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO INCIDENT UNCLEAR’

In a statement on Wednesday, Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesperson, said Olufemi Oluyede, the acting chief of army staff, has ordered an immediate investigation of the incident.

“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to a viral audio-visual recording circulating on social media platforms, purportedly showing a senior Army officer and 2 other soldiers in an altercation with a man and woman within the Abuja metropolis,” the statement reads.

“The circumstances leading to this incident are not clear at the moment.

“However, the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered an immediate investigation to unravel the true circumstances surrounding this altercation.

“The NA remains committed to serving and protecting all law-abiding Nigerians as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, we urge the public to be rest assured that due diligence will be applied to reach a logical conclusion on this matter.”

See video below: