Gunmen kill 2 policemen in northern Nigeria

LAGOS, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police on Friday said suspected bandits raided a police checkpoint in the central north state of Kaduna, killing two policemen while at least 18 others were kidnapped.

Austin Iwar, police chief in charge of the state, who confirmed the attack and the death of the two policemen, said the bandits overwhelmed the security operatives at the checkpoint at Ciki Da Falo area of the state.

The attack followed the killings of 11 soldiers of the special force of the Nigerian Army's exercise Ayem Akpatuma (rat race) at Kampanin Doka village at Birnin-Gwari.

The soldiers were on March 29 laid to rest with full military honor at the Commonwealth Commentary, Kaduna.

Hakeem Baba, a local resident told Xinhua that the incident occurred on Thursday when the bandits in huge numbers opened fire on the policemen at the checkpoint, killing two of them on the spot.

Kaduna State is currently enmeshed in a humanitarian crisis. The southern part of the state has become the epicenter of deadly violence, most of it inflicted by herdsmen on farming communities. Enditem