Bandits on Friday ambushed 15 police officers around Farin-Ruwa junction along the Birnin Gwari- Funtua road in Kaduna state while they were on transit from Minna in Niger state to Kano state, Daily Trust gathered.

Sources said eight of the police officers have been rescued as at Saturday afternoon and are currently with military operatives at Maganda in Birnin Gwari local government area while the fate of the remaining seven is still uncertain.

The Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU) has reported that at least 18 police officers were missing but later stated that two had made contact with family members but were still within the forest area of Birnin Gwari.

BEPU Chairman, Barrister Salisu Haruna while speaking with Daily Trust said the whereabouts of many of the police officers was uncertain, adding that police officers around Dogon Dawa and other nearby communities have been told of the incident.

Daily Trust sources within Birnin Gwari however said eight of the police officers have been rescued while the whereabouts of the remaining seven was uncertain.

A vigilante source within Maganda in Birnin Gwari confirmed that the eight officers were in the custody of military operatives in Maganda while contact had been made with another police officer within the forest area.

Several phone calls and a text message sent to the Kaduna state Police Command through the Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige was not answered.