By Muhammad Mamman
At least eight personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were brutally killed late on Friday after gunmen suspected to be kidnappers ambushed their convoy near the BUA Cement plant in Okpella, Edo State.
The attack, which occurred around 10:00 p.m., targeted a security team escorting five Chinese expatriates back to base following a routine patrol. Witnesses said the heavily armed assailants opened fire on the convoy at the factory’s entrance, killing eight NSCDC operatives and a civilian on the spot.
Four expatriates were rescued unhurt after security reinforcements intervened, but one expatriate was reportedly abducted by the attackers. Four other NSCDC officers sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
A source confirmed that the slain officers were attached to the cement company as part of its security detail. The state commandant of the NSCDC, Gbenga Agun, has since visited both the crime scene and the injured officers in hospital.
When contacted, the NSCDC spokesperson in Edo, Efosa Ogbebor, declined to comment, saying the Corps’ national headquarters would issue an official statement in due course.
The brazen assault underscores the worsening insecurity in parts of Edo State, with analysts warning that the targeting of security operatives represents a dangerous escalation by criminal networks.
