A combined team of security forces was ambushed by armed men along the Kuzuntu axis of Anchau in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State, leaving one policeman dead and several military personnel injured.
The team, comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army, the Police, the Kaduna State Veterinary and Development Service (KADVS), and local vigilantes, was on assignment at the government grazing reserve in Kuzuntu.
They had accompanied staff of an agro-industry company and local officials to take measurements of the grazing area following a request from the Chairman of the Kubau Local Government Council.
The incident was confirmed in a post shared on Thursday by security analyst Zagazola Makama, who disclosed that the officer, identified as Constable Sunday Ishaya, was pronounced dead at a medical facility.
“While the exercise was successfully completed, the security personnel were ambushed on their return. Police Constable Sunday Ishaya was fatally shot during the attack, while several soldiers sustained injuries,” he wrote.
“The victims were rushed to a hospital, where PC Ishaya was certified dead, and the injured are receiving treatment. The deceased has been deposited at the General Hospital, Ikara, as investigations into the attack continue,” Makama added.
Reacting to the incident, a vigilante commander working with the joint task force described the assault as “a desperate and cowardly attempt to scare authorities away from reclaiming government land.”
He added that discussions were underway to intensify patrols and prevent further attacks in the area.
The remains of the slain police officer have been deposited at the General Hospital, Ikara, as investigations continue and reinforcements are expected to maintain security presence in the troubled zone.
