Colonel Abdussalam Ude was shot dead defending himself from gunmen at his Kurudu residence, as his wife and two others were also wounded
Abdussalam Ude, a colonel with the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), has been killed after resisting an attack by gunmen at his residence in Abuja. His wife, driver and security guard were also shot and injured during the assault.
J.E. Oti, acting assistant director of protocol at the DIA, said in a statement on Tuesday that the assailants attempted to abduct Ude shortly after he arrived at his residence in Phase 5, Army Housing Estate, Kurudu, on the outskirts of Abuja, at about 10:45pm on Monday.
How the attack on Colonel Ude unfolded
According to security sources, the gunmen ambushed the officer as he stepped out of his vehicle, opening fire in an apparent attempt to abduct him. Rather than surrender, Ude reportedly fought back despite being outnumbered, resistance that security sources said prevented the attackers from taking him away alive, though they subsequently shot him multiple times at close range before fleeing the scene.
His wife, driver and security guard sustained gunshot wounds during the attack and were taken to hospital for treatment.
The DIA statement did not go into detail on the circumstances of the shooting but confirmed the officer’s death.
“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.
Ude’s military career and the wider security concern
Before his death, Ude served in several strategic military intelligence and counter-terrorism positions, including operations against insurgents in Nigeria’s North-East and international intelligence assignments in Chad and France. The officer, who hailed from Enugu State, was due for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General next year. He was buried on Tuesday at the Mambilla Mosque in Abuja in accordance with Islamic rites.
The DIA said security and law enforcement agencies have commenced a full investigation into the incident.
“Every effort is being made to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible. The agency is working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the incident are thoroughly investigated,” the statement read.
The agency extended its condolences to Ude’s family, colleagues and members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and reaffirmed its constitutional mandate to safeguard Nigeria’s national security.
The killing has renewed concerns over attacks targeting serving and retired military personnel in the Federal Capital Territory. It follows the 2024 killing of retired Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere, who was attacked at his residence in the Lokogoma area of Abuja while trying to protect his family, and a separate 2024 incident in which gunmen invaded the same Kurudu estate and abducted the wife and an in-law of another resident.
