Police authorities in Nigeria on Tuesday confirmed that five riot policemen were killed in an attack by gunmen in the southeastern state of Rivers.

The policemen were ambushed in the wee hours of Monday while heading to their base at the end of their special mission in the restive northeastern state of Yobe, Ahmad Muhammad, a police spokesman in Bayelsa State, told Xinhua.

"This tragedy again demonstrated the enormous calamities we face. We put our lives on the line every day to confront crime and violence in our communities," Muhammad said while lamenting the death of his colleagues.

According to the spokesman, police had swiftly swung into action to bring perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

Source: XINHUA