Gunmen killed three people, including a police officer, when they attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, late Monday night.
Security sources said the attackers arrived at the facility around 11:40 p.m. and immediately opened fire on officers stationed at the main gate. Security personnel returned fire, triggering a gun battle that lasted several minutes.
A staff member of the institute, who spoke anonymously, told PUNCH Online in Jos on Tuesday that the attack caused panic inside the facility.
“I was sleeping when I heard gunshots. I didn’t know what to make of it, but when I woke up, I discovered it was real because the gunshots had already caused commotion within the NIPSS. It turned out that the institution was under attack.”
He said security operatives engaged the gunmen and forced them to retreat.
“Thank God security was reinforced, and the attackers fled. But they succeeded in killing two people at the gate before they ran away. A soldier and a policeman were the victims. It’s very unfortunate,” the staff member said.
He added that three people died in total during the attack, including a policeman and another officer attached to the institute’s security detail.
He added that the swift intervention by security forces stopped the attackers from entering deeper into the facility.
Authorities had not confirmed the motive for the attack at the time of filing this report.
NIPSS issued a statement on Tuesday through its Head of Public Affairs, Osime Samuel, confirming the incident.
It said: “A security incident occurred in the vicinity of the Institute in the early hours of today.”
The institute added that security personnel and relevant agencies quickly brought the situation under control and assured that normal activities continued without disruption.
“The situation was promptly brought under control through the swift response of security personnel and relevant security agencies. There is currently no threat to the safety of participants, staff, residents, or facilities of the Institute, and normal activities are continuing as scheduled,” the statement added.
NIPSS said security agencies had launched an investigation into the attack and cautioned against speculation.
The statement added that “security agencies have commenced investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident” and warned that “it would be premature to speculate on the nature, scope, or outcome of the event.”
The institute urged the public to rely only on official updates.
“NIPSS is working closely with the appropriate authorities and will provide verified information as soon as it becomes available. We urge members of the public and the media to rely on official communications from the Institute and relevant security agencies,” the statement continued.
It reaffirmed its commitment to safety within the institute and commended the response of security agencies, adding that further updates would follow as investigations progress.
