Suspected gunmen launched another attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Plateau State, late Wednesday night, but security operatives successfully repelled the assault, killing one of the attackers.

According to a report by Punch Newspapers, the attack happened around 11pm when the armed men allegedly attempted to breach the institute’s security perimeter.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the institute’s Head of Public Affairs, Dr Osime Samuel, NIPSS said security personnel engaged the attackers in a gun battle and forced them to retreat after a swift response.

The institute confirmed that one of the assailants was killed during the exchange, while others reportedly escaped with injuries.

“The attackers engaged security operatives in a gun duel but were forced to retreat following the swift and coordinated response of the security forces. One of the assailants was neutralised during the encounter, while others were reported to have escaped with varying degrees of injuries,” the statement said.

NIPSS added that there was no breach of its security perimeter and all participants, staff, residents and facilities remained safe.

Security agencies have since intensified efforts to track and apprehend the fleeing suspects, while surveillance and other proactive security measures have been strengthened within and around the institute.

The institute also urged residents and the public to ignore misinformation capable of causing panic, reassuring them that the safety of lives and property remains its top priority.

The latest attack comes less than two weeks after another assault on the institute and surrounding community, during which three people, including security personnel, were killed. That incident prompted heightened security around Nigeria’s leading policy and leadership training institution.