EIGHT officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed on Friday night when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers ambushed them in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
News Point Nigeria reports that the attackers also abducted a Chinese expatriate working with BUA Cement Company.
The incident, which occurred around 10:00pm near the company’s entrance gate, has thrown the community into shock and raised concerns over worsening insecurity in the state.
According to eyewitness accounts, the NSCDC operatives were escorting five Chinese expatriates back to base after a routine patrol when heavily armed men opened fire on them.
The ambush led to a fierce gun battle, leaving eight officers dead on the spot, while four others sustained serious injuries. A civilian was also caught in the crossfire and is currently receiving treatment alongside the wounded operatives at an undisclosed hospital.
The assailants succeeded in abducting one of the expatriates, while the remaining four were rescued unharmed.
A senior official of the NSCDC Edo Command, who confirmed the attack, described it as a well-coordinated assault.
“Our men were on routine escort duty when the gunmen struck. Eight officers were killed, while five others, including a civilian, sustained injuries. One expatriate was kidnapped, and four others were rescued unhurt,” the official stated.
The attackers reportedly fled into the surrounding forest with the abducted expatriate after the shootout. Security sources say a joint operation involving the military, police, and NSCDC personnel has been launched to track down the kidnappers and secure the release of the victim.
The Edo State Commandant of the NSCDC, Gbenga Agun, has visited both the scene of the attack and the injured officers in hospital. While he declined to speak publicly, officials hinted that morale within the command remains shaken by the heavy loss of personnel.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer in Edo, Efosa Ogbebor, declined to issue immediate comments, noting that an official statement would be released by the Corps’ national headquarters in Abuja.
