By Deborah Nnamdi
Gunmen on Monday night attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing two soldiers and a police officer assigned to guard the institution’s staff quarters.
Sources said the attackers were believed to have targeted the residences of the Acting Director of Studies, Barrister Nima Salman-Mann, and a Directing Staff member, Professor Haruna Dabin, after threatening messages demanding large sums of money were reportedly pasted on their doors days before the incident.
According to reports, handwritten notes left on the officials’ residences on Saturday demanded $100,000 from one of the targets and N15 million from the other. The matter was said to have been reported to the institute’s management.
Security sources disclosed that the slain personnel was killed during a gun battle with the attackers while attempting to repel the assault.
“During the day, local security personnel watch over the staff quarters, while soldiers and police officers take over at night. It is believed the attackers came for the staff members they had earlier threatened,” a source familiar with the incident said.
Confirming the attack, NIPSS spokesperson, Dr Osime Samuel, said a security incident occurred in the vicinity of the institute in the early hours of Tuesday but did not provide details of casualties.
He stated that security personnel responded swiftly and brought the situation under control, assuring that there was no threat to participants, staff, residents, or facilities within the institution.
“The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, wishes to inform the public that a security incident occurred in the vicinity of the Institute in the early hours of today,” the statement said.
The institute added that investigations had commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack and urged the public to rely on information from official sources.
The Plateau State Police Command also confirmed the incident. The command’s spokesperson, SP Alabo Alfred, described the development as unfortunate and disclosed that three security operatives lost their lives during the attack.
“The Plateau State Police Command, on a very sad note, wishes to confirm the incident that occurred in the early hours of 16th June 2026, involving security personnel on duty at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru. Regrettably, three security personnel lost their lives during the incident,” he said.
Alfred noted that reinforcements had been deployed to the area, patrols intensified and normalcy restored, while investigations continue.
Military authorities also responded to the incident, with the General Officer Commanding 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, visiting the scene as security agencies intensified efforts to track down those responsible.
The attack has sparked concerns among residents and security experts because of the strategic importance of NIPSS, Nigeria’s foremost policy and leadership institute. Community leaders described the incident as disturbing and called for enhanced security around critical national institutions.
A security analyst and Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee, C Division, Plateau State, Abdullahi Aliyu Bako, attributed the attack to intelligence failures and urged authorities to strengthen surveillance systems and act promptly on security alerts.
Established in 1979, NIPSS serves as Nigeria’s premier policy research and leadership training institution, bringing together senior military officers, civil servants, academics, and private sector leaders for strategic studies and policy development.
Meanwhile, in a separate attack within Jos South Local Government Area, gunmen reportedly stormed a mining site in Gero village on Tuesday afternoon and killed five persons engaged in mining activities. Residents said the attackers opened fire indiscriminately before fleeing the scene.
While community leaders linked the incident to growing insecurity in the area, police authorities said they had yet to receive a formal briefing on the attack.
