Four policemen attached to the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) were killed on Saturday by suspected kidnappers during an ambush at Rigasa Forest in Kaduna State.
The deceased are: Inspectors Benard Odibo, Mamman Abubakar, Haruna Ibrahim and Sergeant Emmanuel Istifanus.
They were reportedly killed during a mission to arrest suspected abductors of an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Adam Algarkawy.
It was gathered that the cleric was abducted on August 2 at Rigasa in Kaduna and was released on August 6 after his family reportedly paid N10 million ransom.
To bring the abductors to justice, 13 IRT operatives were reportedly deployed in the forest early on Saturday.
It was gathered that they successfully apprehended two of the suspected abductors.
The operatives were said to be on their way out of the forest when other members of the gang ambushed and attacked them.
During an exchange of fire, two suspected kidnappers and four policemen were killed.
Operatives gunned down six of the criminals.
Another IRT operative sustained gunshot injuries and is recuperating at an undisclosed hospital.
A source, who was privy to the incident but pleaded anonymity, said: “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 in the death of four IRT operatives.”
According to Head of IRT, Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), the bodies of the slain policemen have been deposited at Saint Gerald Hospital’s mortuary in Kaduna for autopsy.
He said: “It is a painful loss for us. But it will not stop the efforts to bring members of the gang to justice. We shall hunt them and ensure they feel the law.”
Kaduna State Police Command’s spokesman Sabo Yakubu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said: “At 0630hrs (6.30 a.m) on August 11, a team of detectives attached to IGP Intelligent Response Team (IRT) on operation in Jankasa village of Rigasa in Igabi Local Government Area in Kaduna State was ambushed by bandits.
“After a fierce gun battle, four of our policemen paid the supreme sacrifice.”
The spokesman said no arrest had been made, but assured the residents that the culprits would be arrested and prosecuted.
He added that a reinforcement team had been mobilised to the area to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Yakubu said: “We appeal to the public to assist the police with useful information towards ensuring that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are arrested and prosecuted.”