Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected gunmen on Monday night, June 15, 2026, attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State, killing three security operatives in a fierce exchange of gunfire before being repelled by security forces guarding the nation's foremost policy institution. The victims comprised two soldiers and a police officer attached to the institute's security department.
The attackers stormed the institute at about 11:40 p.m., shooting sporadically in an apparent attempt to breach the facility's perimeter and gain access to the residential quarters where course participants were lodged. A staff member of the institute, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak, confirmed the incident to The Sun on Tuesday. According to him, security operatives guarding the complex engaged the attackers in a ferocious confrontation to prevent them from gaining access to the institution. He disclosed that three security personnel lost their lives during the attack: two soldiers and one police officer.
The police officer killed was reportedly the orderly attached to a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police. Eyewitness accounts described sustained gunfire that lasted several minutes, throwing residents of Kuru and surrounding communities into panic. Bulus Haruna, a resident of Kuru in Jos South Local Government Area, told journalists that residents of surrounding communities were thrown into panic following the sound of sustained gunfire that lasted several minutes.
The institute's Head of Public Affairs, Dr Osime Samuel, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Tuesday, describing it as a "security incident" that occurred in the vicinity of the institute in the early hours of the day. He said the situation was promptly brought under control through the swift response of security personnel and relevant security agencies. According to the statement, there is currently no threat to the safety of participants, staff, residents, or facilities of the institute, and normal activities are continuing as scheduled. Security agencies have commenced investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the institute cautioned against speculation, urging the public and the media to rely on official communications. The Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the attack and said investigations had been launched.
The motive behind the attack remained unclear as of the time of filing this report, and no group had claimed responsibility. Security has since been reinforced around the institute, with manhunt operations underway to identify and apprehend those responsible. NIPSS is Nigeria's highest policy and strategic studies institution, responsible for training senior government officials, military officers, technocrats and policy strategists drawn from across the country. The attack has triggered fresh concerns over the vulnerability of strategic national institutions, particularly government facilities involved in national policy formulation and senior executive training.
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