Kidnappers ambushed a team of police officers during a rescue operation in Delta State, killing a newly appointed Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and injuring several others.
The tragic incident unfolded near a train station in Agbarho community in the early hours of Monday.
A group of armed kidnappers, aware they were being tracked by police, lay in wait and opened fire as the officers arrived, killing DPO Hassan Nasir Jega just two days after he resumed duty.
The DPO from Orerokpe Police Division, CSP Paul Oboware, was also shot, along with other officers, and rushed to the hospital.
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Reports say the kidnappers had left their vehicle with a hostage inside and positioned themselves strategically on a bridge, ambushing the police team as they approached the vehicle.
The officers attempted to retreat, but the attackers fired relentlessly, fatally wounding Jega and seriously injuring Oboware.
The daring ambush has left the community in shock, with residents expressing fear over the growing boldness of criminal gangs.
A joint police and military task force has since been deployed to hunt down the kidnappers.
Community leaders and human rights groups have condemned the rising wave of kidnappings in Delta State, calling for stronger security measures.
Local vigilante groups have joined forces with law enforcement to search the area, but so far, there have been no significant breakthroughs.
The Nigeria Police Force has vowed to track down the kidnappers and bring them to justice, as the community mourns the loss of another officer in the line of duty.
