The shooting of a senior police officer in the line of duty by unknown gunmen have been confirmed by the Edo police command on Friday.
This confirmation was made by the command spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor in Benin, the Edo capital.
Nwabuzor said the officer is an area commander.
According to Nwabuzor, the gunmen shot the policeman while responding to a distress call eventhough the name of the officer was not stated.
He, however, added that the wounded officer is receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility in Benin.
Sources told newsmen that the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at the popular Murtala Muhammed way, by the third east circular road junction in Benin.
This is coming days after gunmen attacked the Igueben divisional police headquarters in the state.
The attack was said to have lasted for hours, leaving the building riddled with bullets, while vehicles, including that of the divisional police officer, were vandalised.
Residents, who spoke on the incident, said the reason for the attack was not known.
Speaking on the attack, Johnson Kokumo, the Edo commissioner for police, explained that one of the hoodlums was killed, while two officers sustained gunshot injuries.
“The policemen on duty repelled the attack and they were able to get one of the armed hoodlums who has, of course, been taken to the morgue,” he said.
“In the process, two policemen sustained gunshot injuries and they were taken to the hospital.”
