Daud Olatunji
Operatives of the Benue State Police Command’s Operation Zenda Joint Taskforce have neutralized seven armed bandits during a fierce gun battle in Buruku Local Government Area of the state .
However, the operation came at a cost, as a police inspector, Terfa Anyiatse, was killed in the exchange.
A statement by the Force Public Relations, ACP, Muyiwa Adejobi said the encounter occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, March 19, 2025, when the task force was en route to a criminal hideout in Agwabi, Tombo Ward.
He explains that the operatives walked into an ambush set by the bandits, prompting a gunfight.
According to him,despite the intensity of the attack, the police responded with superior firepower, subduing the criminals. At the end of the battle, seven bandits were gunned down while others managed to flee with injuries.
He added that tragically, Inspector Anyiatse sustained fatal gunshot wounds and later succumbed to his injuries. His death underscores the risks faced by law enforcement officers in their bid to maintain security across the state.
He stated that further raids carried out in Daudu and Makurdi led to the recovery of three AK-47 rifles, seven locally made pistols, and the arrest of five suspected robbers and 32 suspected cultists.
Adejobi said the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the bravery and dedication of the operatives involved in the operation.
Adejobi in the statement said the IGP reiterated the police force’s commitment to tackling violent crimes, including robbery, kidnapping, and banditry, across the country.
He added that Egbetokun extended his condolences to the family of the fallen officer and urged members of the public to remain vigilant while providing timely information that could help security agencies combat crime.
Adejobi said the police have assured that efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing bandits and dismantle criminal hideouts across Benue and other parts of the country.
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