Gunmen have attacked a Police Mobile Force (PMF) camp in Tenebo community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing at least three officers and leaving two others injured.

The assault, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, reportedly caught security personnel off guard.

The attackers were said to have stormed the facility in large numbers, some of them on motorcycles.

A resident, Mr Mohammed Abdul, said “they came around 2am in large numbers and tried to enter the town but were resisted by the security which led to heavy gunfire that lasted for hours.

“At the end of the gun duel, three officers were killed and two were injured. The bandit left thereafter but nobody was kidnapped and we didn’t know whether there was any casualty on their side”, he said.

Another resident, Mr Halidu Umar, said “None of us who have houses around that axis could sleep through the night and even now, we are still afraid because the community, Tenebo, is about 4 kilometers to Kaiama town.

“The Tenebo community also leads to the National Park from where these bandits have been operating. And this incident followed similar patterns where they will just come and attack and retreat to the forest”, he added.

The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the incident during a telephone chat with Daily Trust on Saturday.

According to him, “Yes, it’s true and we lost three gallant officers in the attack with two injured. Those injured are responding to treatment but no arrest has been made.”

Last month, there was a similar incident where the bandits overran a joint security outpost in Kemanji, a neighbouring community to Tenebo, also killing three soldiers and two vigilantes.

They carted away an army gun truck and other equipment in the process but also suffered casualties that they took away.

Earlier, bandits killed five members of a local forest guard in Nuku community, another Kaiama suburb and set their operational vehicles and facilities ablaze. (Daily Trust News)