Four policemen were ambushed and killed by bandits in Jankasa village, in Rigasa area of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The state police public relations officer, Yakubu Sabo, confirmed the incident at the weekend.
Sabo said the incident took place at about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday when a team of detectives drawn from Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Rapid Response Team was ambushed by the bandits.
He said the officers were on their way for an operation when the bandits engaged them in a gun battle, leading to the death of four of them.
Sabo added that the command swiftly reinforced and mobilised its men to the area with a view to apprehending the bandits.
“Yesterday, Saturday, August 11, 2018, at about 6:30 a.m., a team of detectives attached to Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, while on operation along Jankasa village of Rigasa Kaduna, was ambushed by bandits.
“After a fierce gun battle, four of our policemen paid the supreme sacrifice. We quickly mobilised and reinforced to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous acts. No arrest has been made yet but, as events unfold, I will give more details,” he said.
Speaking on the attack, the IRT leader, DCP Abba Kyari, told journalists, Sunday evening that bodies of the deceased operatives were deposited at Saint Gerald Hospital Mortuary Kaduna State for autopsy, while very serious efforts were in progress to get the killers to book.
He said, “Sequel to the Kidnapping of Sheikh Ahmad Adam Algarkawy in Rigasa area of Kaduna State on 2/8/18 and his subsequent release after ransom was paid.
“In a follow up to the case on 11/8/18 IRT operative arrested two of the Kidnappers in a remote settlement inside Rigasa forest inKaduna State.
“As the team was coming out of the bush with the arrested kidnappers, other gang-members hiding inside the bush ambushed the IRT team and opened fire which resulted to the death of four IRT operatives.”
He gave names of the deceased as, AP/No. 148333 Inspr. Benard Odibo, AP/No. 181539 Inspr. Mamman Abubakar, AP/No. 192938 Inspr. Haruna Ibrahim F/No. 267815 and Sgt Emmanuel Istifanus.
The police spokesman added that investigation into the matter had commenced.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Police Command on Saturday arrested eight suspected bandits and foiled an attack on a market in Gurbin Bore town in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state. According to the command’s spokesman, SP Shehu Mohammed, the eight bandits were arrested following a distress call to the command on Saturday that bandits had stormed the Gurbin Bore market to cause loss of life and property, and had already abducted one Jafar Yusuf.
He said: “The command’s tactical teams swiftly arrived the scene, cordoned it off and rescued the victim who was already injured. Eight bandits were arrested with two locally fabricated guns and two jack knives recovered.”
He added that all the suspects were in the command’s custody under interrogation after which they would be charged to court for prosecution.
Recently, some family members of the Zamfara State commissioner for youth and sports, Alhaji Abdullahi Gurbin Bore, were abducted in the same village, but they were later rescued.