Eight officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) lost their lives on Friday night after gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, launched a deadly assault near the BUA Cement facility in Okpella, Edo State.
The attack reportedly happened around 10 p.m. when the assailants laid an ambush at the company’s gate.
The security operatives were accompanying five Chinese nationals back to their residence after completing routine surveillance.
The officers, said to be part of a dedicated security detail for the cement company, came under heavy gunfire from the attackers.
In the exchange, eight NSCDC personnel and one civilian were killed on the spot.
Four of the expatriates were rescued safely, but one Chinese national was taken captive, while four other NSCDC men sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to a hospital for treatment.
The state commandant of the NSCDC, Gbenga Agun, was at the scene of the incident on Saturday and also visited the wounded operatives in hospital.
Efforts to reach the state spokesperson of the Corps, Efosa Ogbebor, yielded no comment, as he explained that the national headquarters would release an official statement in due course.