A policeman has been killed on Thursday during a gun duel between gunmen and the troops of the Nigerian Army’s newly launched Golden Dawn, an operation to curb criminality, in Anambra State.

In a statement released by Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesman for the army, three of the gunmen also died during the engagement.

“The sector 5 of ‘Golden Dawn’ on October 7 engaged the gunmen in a gun-duel, losing a policeman in the course of duty,” Nwachukwu partly said.

“The three gunmen, who drove in 2 Vehicles (a Hilux and Hummer bus) eventually succumbed to troops’ effective firepower, while others fled with gunshot wounds.

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“The exercise also recovered one vehicle and 2 motorcycles while conducting further exploitation of the general area for the fleeing terrorists.”

Faruk Yahaya, the Chief of Army Staff, commended the troops for the recent operation while encouraging them to sustain the momentum against all criminal elements operating in the region. 

Apart from Golden Dawn, the Nigerian Army has launched Operation Enduring Peace and Still Water to tackle insecurity in the southern part of the country.