A Colonel with the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Abdulsalam Ude, has been killed after resisting an attempted abduction by gunmen at his residence in Abuja.

The assailants reportedly attacked the senior military officer shortly after he arrived at his home in Phase 5, Army Housing Estate, Kurudu, on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory, at about 10:45 p.m. on Monday.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Acting Assistant Director of Protocol at the DIA, J.E. Oti, confirmed the incident, describing the death of the officer as a painful loss to the agency and the nation.

“The agency is deeply saddened by this unfortunate loss. The late senior officer served the nation with exceptional dedication, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the defence and security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.

The DIA said efforts were underway to identify, arrest and prosecute those behind the attack, adding that it was working with relevant security authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The agency remains resolute in its constitutional mandate to safeguard Nigeria’s security and assures the public that it will continue to work with all relevant agencies to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice,” it stated.

The agency expressed condolences to the family of the deceased officer, his colleagues and members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The DIA further reaffirmed its commitment to protecting national security and vowed to continue collaborating with other security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of the attack are identified and held accountable.