The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the death of 17 police officers following a deadly terrorist attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The officers were said to be undergoing specialised operational training at the military institution when heavily armed terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the facility in the early hours of May 8.
In a statement issued on Friday, Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placide, said the attackers stormed the training school from multiple directions at about 1:15 a.m.
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“The officers, who were undergoing specialized operational training at the institution, lost their lives when terrorists launched a coordinated attack on the facility from multiple directions at about 0115hrs,” the statement said.
The police also disclosed that several Nigerian Army personnel were killed while attempting to repel the attackers during the exchange.
The attack is one of the deadliest assaults on security personnel in the North-East in recent months and underscores the persistent threat posed by insurgent groups operating in the region despite ongoing military operations.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, described the slain officers as courageous personnel who demonstrated exceptional patriotism and commitment to national security.
According to the statement, the officers had been participating in advanced counter-terrorism and tactical training programmes aimed at strengthening operational effectiveness against insurgent groups.
“The fallen officers paid the supreme price in service to the nation, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” the IGP said while extending condolences to the bereaved families.
The police chief also assured affected families of the Force’s continued support.
As part of efforts to show solidarity with surviving personnel, the Commissioner of Police in Yobe State, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, visited the training institution on behalf of the Inspector-General.
During the visit, he commiserated with the Commandant of the Special Forces School, Brigadier General A.C. Enuagu, Nigerian Army personnel, and police trainees who survived the attack.
Jibrin also encouraged the surviving officers to remain resilient and complete their training programme in honour of their fallen colleagues.
The Nigeria Police Force assured Nigerians that security agencies, including the Armed Forces, were intensifying efforts to track down and bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
Buni Yadi and surrounding communities in Yobe State have experienced repeated attacks by insurgent groups linked to Boko Haram and ISWAP over the years.
The latest attack comes amid renewed military offensives across parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states where troops have intensified operations against terrorist enclaves and supply routes.
