Tragedy struck in Benin City as a police sergeant, identified as Aminu Yusuf, lost his life during a daylight attack carried out by suspected armed robbers.

The incident occurred around 2:45 pm on Tuesday, July 16, 2025, along First East Circular Road—just moments after the sergeant’s principal, a Chinese expatriate, reportedly withdrew a large sum of cash from a commercial bank on Sapele Road.

Sergeant Yusuf, who was attached to the expatriate as a police escort under an official assignment, was returning with him when the assailants struck. According to sources, four gunmen intercepted their vehicle, opened fire, and made away with an undisclosed amount of money believed to run into millions as well as the officer’s service AK-47 rifle, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.

Witnesses say the wounded officer was rushed to a specialist hospital in Benin, but sadly, he was declared dead on arrival. His body has since been taken to a local mortuary.

Speaking under anonymity, a source close to the investigation said the robbers appeared to have carefully trailed their targets from the bank before launching the deadly ambush.

As of the time of this report, the Edo State Police Command is yet to issue an official statement. However, insiders confirm that a full-scale manhunt has been launched to track down the suspects and recover both the stolen funds and the missing weapon.

The brazen attack has sent shockwaves across the city, raising fresh concerns over the safety of routine cash movements and the increasing risk law enforcement officers face in the line of duty.