Gun-wielding non-state actors have killed a total of 154 military and police officers and men in the last one year.
LEADERSHIP’s findings show that between March 2023 and March 2024, 90 policemen were killed while 64 military personnel also lost their lives to the activities of outlaws.
Meanwhile, another set of casualties has been recorded in Mariga local government area of Niger State as bandits again killed 30 members of a volunteer security outfit, called Yan Sa Kai.
LEADERSHIP learnt yesterday that Yan Sa Kai was established to fight banditry through community action in a synergy with security operatives fighting banditry in the area.
The volunteers were killed at Dogon-Dawa community during a clash with the bandits who had earlier operated in the area.
A source said the bandits ambushed the members of the vigilante group who were on their trail after they abducted scores of farmers from Dogon Dawa.
The source said the members of Yan Sa Kai security outfit who were trailing the bandits’ movement to their hideout were ambushed and 30 of them were killed while some bandits were injured.
The chairman of Mariga local government area, Abbas Kasuwar Garba, confirmed the incident yesterday morning while expressing concern that as residents prepared for the farming season, the attack again will dampen their spirits.
He said the area had enjoyed relative peace of late and called for calm as the government was in control of the situation.
In the military, significant attacks took place in August 2023 and March 2024 in Niger and Delta states respectively.
For the Nigeria Police, one of the major incidents was when gunmen ambushed, killed and dismembered a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) , Bako Angbanshin, in Odumude community, Ahoada East local government area of Rivers State. Angbanshin body was later found and exhumed six months later.
2023: March 5: Gunmen killed a policeman and injured two others in Anambra State.
March 13 -18: I6 policemen killed in Ngaski town and Gafara community of Ngaski LGA area of Kebbi State, in Niger State and in Imo State.
March 20: Police confirm the killing of two officers by soldiers in Taraba.
March 26: Gunmen attack checkpoint, kill two policemen in Enugu.
April 6: Three policemen killed in Edo, one injured
April 7: Unidentified gunmen shot a policeman dead at the popular Marine Base Junction in Port Harcourt.
April 21: Gunmen kill five police officers in Imo State.
April 26: Suspected Yahoo boy kill policeman in Ibadan.
April 28: Abducted policeman, Sergeant Ifeanyi was killed by gunmen in Delta State.
May 3: Unknown gunmen behead an Assistant Superintendent of Police, identified as Linus, along East Street, Ndiegoro, Aba, Abia State.
May 16: Two policemen killed in US convoy attack in Anambra State.
May 20: Gunmen shoot two policemen dead in Imo State.
May 20: Gunmen reportedly killed two police officers at Ughelli, Ughelli North local government area, Delta State, inflicting gunshot injuries on one other.
May 24: Policeman killed in shootout with gunmen in Ebonyi State.
June 18: One policeman dies as gunmen attack Rochas Okorocha’s convoy in Imo State.
July 26: Police confirm attack on Commissioner’s convoy, death of two police personnel in Aba.
July 23: Suspected bandits attack police operatives while on a stop-and-search duty at Oleh Roundabout, Delta State, killing two of them and setting their patrol vehicle ablaze.
August 11: Policeman attacked by Okada riders dies in Lagos.
August 25: Gunmen kill police inspector, cart away rifle, berret in Rivers State.
September 8: Gunmen ambush and kill a Divisional Police Officer, Bako Angbanshin, in Odumude community, Ahoada East local government area of Rivers State.
September 19: At least five policemen were killed in an attack by armed men in southeastern Imo State.
September 20: Unknown gunmen allegedly killed two police officers in Enugu State.
October 14: Armed robbers killed a Nigerian police officer identified as Joseph Fidus at his residence in lyana Cele, Sango area of Ogun State.
October 21: Bank robbers killed four policemen in Benue State.
October 27: Gunmen attack and kill two policemen while making an arrest in Aba.
November 17: Hoodlums kill two Ebonyi policemen, injure one.
November 18: Two police officers killed in suspected IPOB attack in Ebonyi Police Command
November 22: An army officer allegedly kills a police officer at Adamawa Police Station.
November 27: Unknown gunmen kill two police officers at Ahaira Junction, in Ahaizu Mbaise council area of Imo State.
December 28: Two police men killed when unknown gunmen attacked Chris Uba’s convoy in Anambra State.
2024
January 6: Two police men killed in bandits ambush in Zamfara State.
January 20: A police officer killed and one other injured after some bandits attacked police officers at their duty post at Saki Jiki village in Batsari local government area of Katsina State.
February 3: At least four police officers killed in Borno State after a gun battle with suspected Islamic insurgents.
March 8: Six policemen killed as suspected gunmen attack police checkpoint in Ebonyi.
March 2: Police announce death of six policemen in Delta ambush, six others missing.
Military Timeline 2023
March 17: Gunmen kill a soldier during attack on Paikoro and Munya local government areas of Niger State.
March 23: Boko Haram terrorists attack a military base in Gujba town, Gujba local government area of Yobe State, killing a soldier.
August 14: 36 officers and soldiers killed during an ambush in Niger State.
December 12: Gunmen kill four soldiers along the Ahoada/Abua end of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
2024
January 19: Gunmen kill two soldiers in Agatu local government area of Benue State.
February 2024: Gunmen kill three soldiers in Katakpa community of Toto local government area of Nasarawa State.
March 14: Militants suspected to be Delta youths kill 17 soldiers in Delta State, who were on a peacekeeping mission to Okuama community.
Security Experts React
While reacting to the development, Major General James Nyam (rtd) said ambushes were normal in an asymmetric warfare where the enemy is embedded in the community.
He added that the mishaps were hazards of the job that can only be curtailed by training and retraining of troops.
Also, a retired police officer, CSP Ahmed Musa said ambushing and killing security operatives in the line of duty is demoralising and should be discouraged.
He stated that security personnel are parents to some people and their families need them too.
“It would be unfair to start attacking and killing people who are supposed to be safeguarding you. It should be totally discouraged,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a security expert, Jackson Ojo, who spoke to the media earlier on the issue, urged security operatives to step up their game and ensure perpetrators of these acts were nabbed; otherwise, it would embolden non-state actors to perpetrate more crimes.
“The gruesome murder of our security agents has not only become rampant but also the norm. Our security agencies should go after the perpetrators and show them the stuff they are made up of.
“This can’t happen in America; you can’t do this at the rate we have here without apprehending the culprits. Our security agents must start doing that to send a warning signal to non-state actors.
“This barbaric act without the arrest of the perpetrators is emboldening them. They must come out brutally against non-state actors. As it is, no strategy put in place by security agencies can scare them if action is not taken to curb things like this,” Ojo said.
