Two mobile police officers were killed and two miners abducted following an attack by armed assailants at a mining site in Kwara State on Wednesday evening.

The incident occurred around 6:30 PM at the Oreke-Okeigbo mining site in Ifelodun Local Government Area, where the attackers shot and killed ASP Haruna Watsai and Inspector Tukur Ogah, both attached to the Police Mobile Force (PMF) from Abuja. The officers were on official protective assignment at the location.

During the attack, the assailants abducted Mr. Sam Xie Wie, a Chinese national, and Mr. David Adenaiye, a Nigerian from Kogi State who was working at the mining site. The attackers also made away with the rifles of the deceased police officers.

Official Confirmation

The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement released on Thursday through its spokesperson, SP Adetoin Adeyemi Ejire. The traditional ruler of the community, Oba Sunday Micheal Afolabi, also confirmed the deadly attack in a telephone conversation with BenriNews.

According to the police statement, information received from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Oreke indicated that unidentified armed assailants invaded the mining facility, where they shot and killed the two police officers before abducting the miners.

Police Response

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, strongly condemned the attack and assured the public that the command has initiated decisive action to address the situation.

"Tactical and intelligence-driven efforts are currently underway to ensure the swift rescue of the abducted victims and the apprehension of those responsible for this cowardly attack," the statement read.

The Command is reportedly working closely with other security agencies and community stakeholders to strengthen its presence in the area and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Commissioner Ojo urged residents of Kwara State to remain calm and law-abiding, emphasizing that the Command remains fully committed to protecting lives and property across the state. He also appealed to the public to provide credible and timely information that could aid the ongoing investigation and recovery efforts.

The police have promised to communicate further developments as investigations progress.