In the early hours of Saturday, gunmen attacked Adavi Police Divisional Headquarters in Kogi, killing three police officers.
Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka, confirmed the attack in a statement issued in Lokoja by police spokesman in Kogi, William Ovye-Aya.
He described the attack as callous and very painful, stating that the police engaged in a gun duel with the gunmen who took the officers on duty by surprise.
“This early morning of Saturday, the command received a report of an unfortunate incident at Adavi Police Division, where some hoodlums attacked the station.
“They shot sporadically, but were repelled by our men and operatives of the Quick Response Unit who were on special operations at Adavi Local Government Area.
“Unfortunately, the Command lost three of its officers to the gun duel, while the hoodlums fled with gunshot wounds as they could not get access into the station.
“Consequently, a team of tactical operatives was deployed and it swiftly restored normalcy to the area,” he said.
Mr Egbuka was quoted as saying that operatives had begun trailing the assailants.
The police commissioner sent his condolences to the families of the three fallen police officers, whom he said had done the police force proud.