Gunmen Kill Army Colonel in Abuja residence
By Ndukaku Ihe
A serving colonel in the Nigerian Army Inteligence Corps(NAIC), Colonel Abdussalam A. Ude, has been killed by gunmen at his home located at the Army Post Service Estate, Kurudu, in the federal capital territory.
Col. Ude, an indigene of Nsukka, in Enugu State, was shot dead after putting up fierce resistance against the heavily armed gunmen who attempted to abduct him shortly after he arrived home from work.
A member of 50 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy(NDA), Ude, who was widely regarded as a dedicated professional and served in various counter insurgency operations in the North East and other international operations, speaks Arab language and other foreign languages fluently that aided the operations.
He along his colleagues were due for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General and their equivalent in the Navy and the Air Force later this year before his untimely death.
It was gathered that during the attack, the gunmen also opened fire on members of his family, leaving his wife, driver and security guard with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. The injured wife driver and security guard were immediately rushed to hospital after the attack where they are receiving treatment.
Colleagues of the deceased officer described him as a courageous and highly respected intelligence officer who remained composed even in the face of imminent danger.
One of the sources who does not want to be mentioned in print, said “He resisted them. From what investigators have gathered, they wanted to take him away, but he fought back. Unfortunately, he paid the ultimate price”.
Meanwhile, the military and the security agencies have commenced investigations to track the killers of the officer who was buried Tuesday evening according to Islamic rites.
