TheCable

Two police officers lost their lives in the Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna state on Monday night.

Mukhtar Aliyu, spokesman of the state police command, who confirmed this in a statement, said the deceased officers were on a special operation against bandits.

While morning their colleagues, policemen fired live bullets indiscriminately and a 26-year-old woman was killed by a stray bullet.

Aliyu said the policemen, “in their deep mourning mood” were conveying the corpses of their colleagues when the incident occurred.

The victim was reportedly rushed to the hospital where she was said confirmed dead.

“The Kaduna State Police Command wishes to categorically state that, on 16/07/2018 at about 1830hrs, a team of police officers on special duty, while on routine patrol at Tabanni Village along Birnin-Gwari – Funtua Road, were ambushed and attacked by unidentified armed men” the statement read.

“The Police Team engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle and at the end, two of the unidentified gun men were killed and one AK 47 rifle was recovered.

“Unfortunately, two police officers lost their lives in the incident. However, the situation has been promptly brought under control. In their deep mourning mood, some police officers who conveyed the corpses of their late colleagues to Kaduna encountered an unfortunate incident where there was accidental discharge of gun-shot which hit a female member of the public.

“She was rushed to the hospital but sadly died from sustained wounds.

“The Police command wishes to reassure members of the public that the state is calm and peaceful. As such, people are free and safe to go about their lawful businesses without fear or molestation.”

This is the third time in July that policemen would be killed. Two weeks ago, suspected armed robbers killed seven officers in Abuja.

During the weekend four policemen were killed in Edo state.