7 still missing as bandits ambush police officers in Kaduna

The whereabouts of seven police officers out of 15 that were ambushed by bandits along the Birnin Gwari-Funtua road on Friday is still uncertain. However, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that eight of the officers were rescued.

Our correspondent gathered that the 15 officers were travelling from Minna in Niger State to Kano through the Burnin Gwari-Funtua road when they were ambushed by a group of bandits along the Farin-Ruwa junction.

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The Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU) also reported that at least 18 police officers were missing but later stated that two had made contact with family members but were still in the forest.

While speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, the BEPU chairman, Salisu Haruna, said the whereabouts of many of the police officers was uncertain, adding that other officers around Dogon Dawa and other nearby communities had been informed of the incident.

A vigilante source in Birnin Gwari confirmed that the eight officers who were rescued were in the custody of military operatives in Maganda, while contact had been made with another police officer within the forest area.

Several phone calls and a text message sent to the police command in Kaduna State through the public relations officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, were not answered.