Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Seven police officers attached to the Special Forces Unit of the Nigeria Police were killed yesterday in a road mishap on their way to Katsina State.
Eleven others, who received varying degrees of injury are receiving medical attention.
A Police Force Headquarters statement signed by Force PRO and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Frank Mba, said the incident, which involved an 18-seater Toyota Hummer Bus conveying 18 personnel of the unit, occurred at Jaji town along Kaduna-Zaria Road. The deceased were part of an additional deployment made recently by the force to boost the ongoing fight against bandits in Katsina State.
The IG, who described the incident as a huge loss to the force, noted that the incident was one of the unfortunate sacrifices officers often encounter in the line of duty. He described the deceased as “heroes of peace”.
“A team of police medical personnel has been dispatched to Kaduna State where eleven 11 officers that survived the accident are receiving medical attention.
“Three of the deceased officers have been buried according to Islamic rites while the remains of the other four officers have been deposited in a morgue,” it said.
Meanwhile, the IG has directed the Police Accounts and Budget Department to ensure the immediate payment of the burial expenses, benefits and other entitlements to the families of the deceased officers.
