Trending 
The Nigerian Police Force has confirmed that 17 officers were killed last week after terrorists attacked a training facility in northeastern Nigeria, an area long affected by insurgent violence.
In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, on Saturday, the police said the officers lost their lives when armed militants launched a coordinated assault on a Nigerian Army Special Forces training school in Yobe State in the early hours of May 8.
The force said the attackers struck from multiple directions during the raid, which targeted officers undergoing specialised operational training.
NPF MOURNS 17 FALLEN POLICE OFFICERS AFTER TERRORIST ATTACK ON ARMY SPECIAL FORCES SCHOOL YOBE
The Nigeria Police Force regrettably announces the tragic loss of seventeen (17) police officers who paid the supreme price in service to the nation following a terrorist attack on… pic.twitter.com/GsFWoLI2Sg
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) May 16, 2026
“The Nigeria Police Force regrettably announces the tragic loss of seventeen (17) police officers who paid the supreme price in service to the nation following a terrorist attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, in the early hours of 8th May, 2026.
“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 (0015 GMT),” it said.
The police described the victims as personnel who died while in active training at the institution, adding that the incident represented a significant loss to the force.
The force spokesperson said Tunji Disu, inspector-general of police (IGP), described the slain officers as “courageous and dedicated personnel” who demonstrated commitment to national security through their participation in advanced counter-terrorism and tactical training programmes.
Placid said Usman Jibrin, commissioner of police in Yobe, visited the training institution on behalf of the IGP and commiserated with A.C. Enuagu, the commandant of the school, army officers, and surviving police personnel.
He added that the commissioner of police encouraged the surviving officers to remain resolute and complete the training programme in honour of their fallen colleagues.
“The Inspector-General of Police assures Nigerians that the Force, working closely with the Armed Forces and other security agencies, will sustain ongoing efforts to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice,” he said.
The attack comes as operations against Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), heightens, both of which have waged a prolonged insurgency in the region since 2009.
