No fewer than 30 persons were killed this morning when Boko Haram insurgents attempted to seize the national headquarters of the Department of State Security otherwise known as State Security Service (SSS), according to the latest report on the incident.

“A large number of the casualties are believed to be the insurgents. At least 100 members of the Boko Haram sect are detained in the SSS facility,” says the US-based Pointblanknews online newspaper.

This means that SSS spokesperson Marilyn Ogar was not saying the whole truth when she said: “What happened was that the suspects’ handlers went to feed the detainees here but suddenly they attacked him with their handcuffs, disarmed him and started shooting.

“The military was quickly called in before they could do any harm and that is responsible for the shootings you heard.

“It was an attempted jailbreak but it has been brought under control.”

According to Pointblanknews, “The attempt to seize control of the SSS headquarters led to a heavy gun battle that began at about 8am and didn’t end until about 11.30am,” the report says.

The SSS headquarters is less than 100 metres from the Aso Rock Villa, the official residence of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, none of whom was in the Villa at the time of the attack.

•Photo shows SSS spokesperson Marilyn Ogar.