Suspected bandits have killed an inspector of the Nigeria Police Force in Oyo State following an ambush on a patrol team at the Budo Masalasi border post area of the state.
The attack, which occurred over the weekend, threw the community into tension amid growing concerns by residents and security operatives over the rising threat of violent attacks in the area.
Sources said the patrol team was on routine security duty when it was waylaid by armed assailants who opened fire on the officers. During the exchange of gunfire, the inspector sustained fatal injuries and later died.
Other members of the patrol team were also injured in the attack and were rushed to a nearby medical facility for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately disclosed.
The identity of the slain officer has not been released, as police authorities said his family was yet to be formally notified.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the command had launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the attack with a view to apprehending those responsible.
“There was an attack on police operatives during which an inspector, while courageously repelling the attack, paid the supreme price in the line of duty,” Ayanlade said.
He added that preliminary findings suggested some of the attackers sustained gunshot injuries during the encounter and that operatives were currently tracking them.
The police spokesman assured residents that adequate security measures were being strengthened across the state to prevent further attacks and protect lives and property.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by reporting anyone with gunshot wounds, those seeking suspicious medical treatment, or unfamiliar persons seeking refuge in their communities.
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