The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Paikoro Division allegedly by gunmen suspected to be bandits during a fierce gun duel.
A statement issued and made available to the newsmen on Sunday in Minna by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said that the DPO, SP Mukhtar Sabiu and four other police personnel lost their lives during the gun duel.
According to DSP Abiodun, the incident happened when the suspected armed bandits attempted to attack the Chibani village market via Sarkin-Pawa, in the Munya Local Government area of the State.
“Combined teams of police from Gawu-Babangida Div. and Paiko Div, military and vigilante members were drafted to the scene and the hoodlums were engaged in a gun duel and repelled with scores of them being neutralized, while others escaped with bullet injuries,” said the PPRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun
The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Ogundele Ayodeji, who was said to have led a reinforcement team to the scene and recovered the bodies of the deceased personnel, condoled with the bereaved families of the affected personnel.
