The Kebbi State Police Command said two police officers lost their lives during a gun duel with bandits suspected to be Lakurawa sect members in Kebbi State on Friday, as they attempted to foil a cattle rustling operation.
This was according to a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday by the command’s spokesman, SP Nafiu Abubakar.
The statement read, “On the 3rd January 2025, at about 0100hrs, armed hoodlums suspected to be Lakurawa bandits on motorcycles invaded Alhaji Lawal Block Farm and nearby Fulani settlements located at Natsini village, along Argungu/Kangiwa road and rustled unspecified number of cows.
“On receipt of the report, a team of Police Safer Highway patrol immediately rushed to the scene, engaged the bandits in a gun duel, pursued them, forcing the bandits to escape into the forest with gunshot wounds and successfully recovered some of the rustled cows.
Regrettably, two police officers lost their lives during the encounter.”
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Bello Sani, condemned the incident while praying for the souls of the deceased officers to have eternal rest.
He said the CP also paid an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scene, after which he visited the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Mera, where he condoled and briefed him on the efforts of combined security agencies towards combating crimes in the area.
(PUNCH)