Pius Sunday was a Police Superintendent at the Marte Divisional Headquarters, Borno State.
At around 2am on 20 May, police received an emergency call from a doctor who worked at a mother-and-child health clinic in New Marte. The doctor reported that six gunmen had broken into his house and attempted to kidnap him, but he managed to escape.
Superintendent Sunday led the police response team attending the scene. When they arrived, they were ambushed by gunmen believed to be members of the armed group, Islamic State of West Africa Province. Pius Sunday was shot, and died at the scene. He was 45.
A police spokesperson stated:
‘On behalf of officers and men of the Borno State Police Command, the Commissioner of Police CP Yusufu Mohammed Lawal expressed our heartfelt condolence to the family of the bereaved’.
Following Pius Sunday’s death, Nigerian military authorities imposed a curfew on the town of Marte. All residents were ordered to stay indoors or risk being shot on sight as suspected collaborators of Islamic State.