The attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State, nearly two months ago, in which three security operatives were killed, has raised fresh concerns over the changing nature of insecurity in the state. Attackers are increasingly turning their guns on those deployed to protect communities and critical institutions.
Suspected gunmen stormed the institute in June 2025 and engaged security personnel in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Two soldiers and a police officer attached to the institute security detail were reportedly killed, although their names had not been disclosed at the time of filing. The swift response of security forces prevented the attackers from penetrating deeper into the facility.
The NIPSS attack came amid a string of recent deadly incidents in Riyom Local Government Area, where security operatives and community vigilantes have also come under attack. Barely 24 hours before the killing of three vigilantes at Jol, suspected terrorists reportedly ambushed a joint security patrol at Danwal in Ganawuri District, killing security personnel and carting away their service rifles. These incidents have intensified fears that Plateau’s protracted security crisis is entering a dangerous phase in which frontline defenders are becoming prime targets.
