It was another sad day last Monday when the news broke that a serving colonel of the Nigerian Army had been killed while his wife was shot in an attack on their residence near Abuja.
The slain officer, Colonel Abdussalam Ude, was attacked shortly after returning to his home in Kurudu District of the nation’s capital, on Monday evening. His driver and security guard also sustained gunshot wounds during the assault.
Citing security sources, PRNigeria said the attackers attempted to abduct the officer but met stiff resistance. After failing to take him away, the assailants allegedly shot the officer multiple times before fleeing the scene.
His wife, driver and security guard, who were caught in the attack, were rushed to hospital and were receiving treatment for varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
The killing has sent shockwaves through military circles, coming at a time Colonel Ude was preparing for his promotion to the rank of Brigadier General.
An indigene of Enugu State, the late officer served in several strategic intelligence and counter-terrorism roles within the Armed Forces.
Colleagues described him as a courageous and highly respected intelligence officer whose dedication to duty earned him widespread admiration within the military.
Besides the fact that the killing has renewed concerns over attacks on serving and retired military officers in Abuja and other parts of the country, the killing of a senior military officer by gunmen right inside his residence, also shows how unsafe the country has become for both ordinary and privileged Nigerians.
It is particularly worse for military personnel. They are not safe on the battlefront; they are not safe at home and they are safe in retirement.
The incident comes about two years after retired Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere was killed by armed men who invaded his residence in the Lokogoma area of Abuja while he was defending his family. The attackers reportedly escaped with his firearm and other valuables.
The federal government has to seriously come up with a strategy on how to end the incessant killings in the country. In the last one week, over 70 people have been killed across the country. Nigerians cannot continued to leave in fear.