By TOR VANDE- ACKA, Makurdi

Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Thursday shot dead a policeman at Harga police station in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.

The gunmen also set the police station as well as some houses around the community on fire during the attack.

The State Police Command as well as the Chairman of the LGA, confirmed the death of the policeman to DAILY INDEPENDENT in Makurdi on Thursday.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Sewuese Anene who confirmed the death of the policeman noted that the situation surrounding the attack were still hazy.

Also confirming the killing of the policeman, the Katsina-Ala LGA chairman, Alfred Atera, noted that the bandits set ablaze the police station and some houses in Harga on fire.

DAILY INDEPENDENT also learnt that following the killing, officers and men of the joint military spike operation in the area, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), went in pursuit and killed one of the suspected gunmen, during an exchange of gunfire.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that the OPWS recovered from the slain bandit some arms and ammunition.

According to locals in the community, the gunmen got to the village at about 4am and the locals alerted the police, adding that on sighting the police the bandits opened fire and killed one of the policemen.

Sensing they were overpowered by the gunmen, the police we learnt also called on men of the OPWS who came to their aid.

DAILY INDEPENDENT further gathered that the OPWS were still on the trail of the other bandits, as at the time of compiling this report at about 12:55 pm on Thursday.

It would be recalled that last week the state security council imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the Sankera axis (Logo, Katsina-Ala and Ukum LGAs) of the state and also banned the movement of commercial cyclists (okada) as well as Toyota camry aka “duck yansh”.

The development was part of efforts to curb crime in the area, following the killing of Elder Terkura Suswam, the elder brother of the erstwhile governor of the state, Senator Gabriel Suswam in Anyiin, Logo LGA of the state. (Daily Independent)

Update news