Bandits have killed a police Inspector in Oyo State after ambushing a patrol team on routine duty at the Budo Masalasi border post, sparking fear and tension in the community over rising insecurity.
The attack occurred on Saturday when armed assailants opened fire on the officers.
The Inspector sustained fatal injuries and later died, while other members of the patrol team were injured and taken to a medical facility for treatment.
Their conditions were not immediately disclosed.
Confirming the incident, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the command had launched a manhunt for the attackers, though the identity of the slain officer was yet to be made public.
In a related incident, bandits stormed Kajuru community in Kaduna State, abducting six residents from Unguwar Barkonu in Marraban Kajuru around 1:00 a.m.
This came even as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) held special prayers for the release of 177 worshippers kidnapped in the area about two weeks ago.
Reacting to the worsening insecurity, PDP chieftain and former presidential hopeful, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, accused the APC-led federal government of complicity, warning that terrorism and mass kidnappings would persist amid denial, suppression of facts, and alleged compromise within the security apparatus.