Gunmen suspected to be members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) have ambushed a police team on rescue mission killing the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) attached to Marte division, Pius Sunday and injuring another officer.
The waylaying gunmen were in the town to abduct the health officer in-charge of New Marte maternal and Health Clinic, who escaped being caught and ran to the police station for safety around 7;30pm on Monday.
WikkiTimes learnt that upon arriving at the police station, the health worker explained what happened to him and the police led by the DPO set out to repel the gunmen who took the police unaware on their way to the scene.
Confirming the incident to WikkiTimes, Nahum Kenenth Daso, Borno State Police Command Spokesman said the SP Pius Sunday was killed while responding to a distress call, when he and his team were ambushed by the gunmen.
Daso said the slain DPO were attempting to repeal an attack on the officer in-charge of New Marte Health Facility who escaped being abducted by about six gunmen who invaded his home, saying that one officer was wounded and is receiving treatment at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital while discreet investigation is ongoing over the incident.
“The incident happened on the 20th May 2024, at about 2309HRS when the Divisional Police Officer Marte Division, received a complaint from one Adam Abatcha a Senior Community Health Extension Worker (SCHEW) in-charge of Maternal and Child Health Clinic New Marte that some unknown gunmen numbering about six invaded his house and attempted to abduct him, he struggled and escaped from his abductors and ran to the Police Station.
“The DPO SP Pius Sunday mobilized his men to the scene, sadly the team was ambushed. The DPO was fatally wounded and one Insp Sani Murtala was brushed by a bullet on his thigh. The injured victim is currently responding to treatment at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) while the corpse of the DPO has been deposited at UMTH mortuary. Discreet investigation is ongoing”, said Daso.
WikkiTimes learnt that Marte, a border town with Western Coast of Chad and Cameroon Republic has in the past witnessed a series of attacks by the terrorist which made the residents to flee the town before it was liberated by the Nigerian troops.
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