Suspected bandits ambushed and killed no fewer than four Nigerian police officer, a statement by the force spokesperson, Frank Mba, has said.
The statement said the incident happened in the Birnin-Gwari area of Kaduna state.
One policeman remains missing.
According to Mba, the officers were on their way back to their base in Kano after completing a special duty when they were attacked on Friday along the Birnin-Gwari Funtua Highway.
The officers are personnel attached to Operation Puff Adder and deployed to Niger State in the sustained operation to reclaim public space.
He said the team was deployed to tackle incidences of banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the area.
“Contrary to unconfirmed reports in some sections of the media that 18 officers were kidnapped, only 16 were attacked in the ambush,” Mba said in a statement on Sunday.
“The officers successfully repelled the attack accordingly and neutralised the bandits in their tens while many others scampered into the bush with gun shot injuries.
“Regrettably, four of the Officers paid the supreme price during the exchange of gun fire between the police and the bandits while an officer is still missing.”
Mba said the remaining 11 officers led by their Unit Commander successfully recovered the bodies and firearms of their fallen colleagues, adding that concerted efforts were being intensified to rescue the officer still missing.
He added that “tens” of gunmen were also killed in the clashes on Friday.
Meanwhile, in other separate attacks on Sunday also in Kaduna state, the authorities confirmed at least five people including an 80-year-old woman and a local traditional ruler were killed and several others wounded.
The state commissioner for Internal Security, Samuel Aruwan, says the gunmen targeted three rural areas of Giwa, Igabi and Chikun.
It’s not clear who carried out the series of weekend attacks in Kaduna state.
But it is one of several states in north-western Nigeria where criminal gangs frequently carry out deadly assaults or kidnap people for ransom.
In a previous attack within the week at least 18 people including mothers and their babies were kidnapped in a village in Birnin-Gwari area of the state. They’re yet to be released.