Bandits kill three Kwara cops as police track suspectsI

The Kwara State Police Command has vowed to hunt down the gunmen who killed three police officers during a deadly assault on a Police Mobile Force camp in Tenebo Village, Kaiama Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, gave the assurance in a statement issued through the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, while confirming the incident.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the officers were killed and two others injured after suspected terrorists attacked the PMF camp.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, caused panic in the agrarian community as residents fled their homes following heavy gunfire.

A terrible situation happened! Bandits came in their large numbers and invaded the village, people were killed and some were wounded,” Issa said.

Commenting on the development, Adekimi described the incident as a painful loss to the command and the nation.

He said he received the report of the attack with “profound shock and deep sorrow,” noting that the officers died while on active duty defending their communities.

“This heinous and cowardly act, which claimed the lives of three gallant police officers and left several others critically injured, is strongly condemned in its entirety,” he said.

He added that the slain officers paid the ultimate price in service to the nation.

“The fallen officers paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, bravely standing to defend the safety and security of our communities. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said.

The police commissioner extended condolences to the families of the deceased officers and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased officers during this moment of immense grief. I also pray for the swift recovery of the injured personnel currently receiving treatment.

“No words can fully capture the pain of this loss, but the Command stands firmly with the bereaved families and assures them of our unwavering support,” he said.

However, Adekimi warned the attackers, declaring that the command would not rest until they are apprehended.

“I want to assure the good people of Kwara State that we will deploy all available operational, intelligence, and tactical resources to ensure that the perpetrators of this barbaric attack are tracked down and brought to justice. There will be no hiding place for those responsible,” he said.

Meanwhile, the commissioner also disclosed that the command had recorded success in its ongoing crackdown on kidnapping, with the arrest of six suspected kidnappers in Baruten Local Government Area.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence after the abduction of one Isaq J. of Boriya Village via Okuta on April 23, 2026.

“The suspects had demanded a ransom of ₦50,000,000. Upon receipt of the report, we immediately activated a coordinated manhunt and mounted sustained operational pressure on the criminal elements, which led to the eventual release of the victim,” he said.

Adekimi added that one Mohammed Shede was arrested and confessed to aiding the kidnappers by providing intelligence to the gang members.

Further investigations, he said, led to the arrest of additional suspects, including the gang’s armourer.

“We recovered two locally made rifles and six mobile handsets from the suspects,” he stated.

He added that efforts were ongoing to track down fleeing members of the syndicate, including those identified as ‘Smalley’ and ‘Borugujo’, assuring that they would also be brought to justice.