By Desire Emmanuel
Some gunmen said to be bandits on Tuesday evening ambushed a Mobile Police patrol team in Katsina State, killing three officers and injuring two others in the process.
The deadly ambush took place along the Guga-Bakori road in the state.
Sources privy to the incident told Impact Nigeria News Online on Tuesday night that the bandits had earlier blocked the road at Lailai in Bakori Local Government Area, where they robbed motorists and travellers.
However, following distress calls received from some travellers, Mobile Police officers on patrol duty in Guga moved to the area in order to save the situation.
But on reaching the area, the officers were ambushed, as the heavily armed bandits opened fire, causing the police officers patrol vehicle to overturn.
They went ahead to shoot the officers, leading to the death of three of them while two others sustained gunshot injuries.
Policemen from the nearest division, on hearing the incident, mobilised to the scene and took the officers to the General Hospital in Funtua, where doctors confirmed the death of the three officers while those injured are currently receiving treatment.
The source added that residents along the road were worried that the killing took place despite the “peace deal” they had with bandits, as they called on authorities to urgently strengthen security measures to protect lives and property.
As of the time of this report, neither the state government nor the police command in the state has reacted to the incident.
