Gunmen have killed three policemen at the residence of Alfred Avalumun Atera, chairman of Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue state.

Reports have it that some civilians were also killed in the incident which occurred on Thursday morning.

Catherine Anene, police public relations officer in the state, confirmed the tragic incident but did not go into details.

“Three policemen were killed and investigation has commenced,” she said in a statement.

Samuel Ortom, governor of the state, described the incident as an assassination attempt on the chairman of Katsina-Ala.

In a statement by Terver Akase, his spokesman, Ortom asked security operatives to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He assured the people of Sankera and other parts of the state that his administration will not relent in its collaboration with security agencies to curb crime.

“Governor Ortom commiserates with families of those who lost their lives during the attack on Atera’s house and states that their killers will not escape justice,” the statement read.

The Chairman who was said to be at his residence at the time of the attack escaped death narrowly as he was smuggled out of the house during the exchange of gunfire.

An eyewitness who spoke with Vanguard said, “It happened like what we see in the movies, the people came on a motorbikes shooting sporadically and trying to force their way into the private residence of the Chairman.

“They were initially resisted by the private security guard in the residence and when it became obvious that they were armed men who came looking for the Chairman, the Police personnel on duty at the time intervened but unfortunately three of the police men lost their lives including the private security man in the house and one other person.

“Several other sustained bullet wounds while some got injured in the pandemonium that broke out during the exchange of gunfire.

“Though nobody knew who the gunmen were but the manner they carried out the operation was similar to those of the boys of a late militia leader who tormented Sankera axis of the state for several years,” he added