Bandits kill four police officers, seven civilians in Benue attack

Four police officers and seven civilians were killed when suspected armed bandits attacked Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, the police have confirmed.

The attack occurred on Thursday evening and lasted about seven hours before the attackers were repelled and fled into the surrounding forest, the Benue State Police Command said.

The command said the attackers invaded the community at about 6:12 p.m. on 10 September.

Officers from the Police Mobile Force, tactical teams and conventional police engaged the assailants in a sustained gun battle, according to a statement issued on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, Orchia Aondongu.

“The operatives stood firm in defence of the community and successfully repelled the attack, forcing the criminal elements to retreat into the surrounding forest with heavy casualties in the early hours of 11th September 2026,” Mr Aondongu said.

But four police officers were killed during the operation.

The command identified them as Paul Ina, Mohammed Yusuf, Oge Ikechukwu and Edeh Andrew.

Their bodies were recovered from surrounding bushes during search and rescue operations, the police said.

Seven civilians were also killed. Their bodies were recovered after the attack and deposited at a mortuary, according to the command.

Residents recount attack

A resident, Tyolumun Ugande, told journalists that about 200 suspected armed herders invaded the community, shooting at residents and burning houses.

He said Mobile Police officers deployed to Ayilamo confronted the attackers.

“A detachment of Mobile Policemen deployed to Ayilamo confronted the bandits who were armed with sophisticated weapons,” Mr Ugande said.

“After several hours of exchange of gunfire, the bandits retreated but on Friday morning four bodies of Mobile Policemen and residents of the community were recovered in the bush.”

The Secretary of the Ayilamo Security Committee, Umishi Terungwa, also confirmed the attack.

Mr Terungwa said the attack occurred between Thursday night and the early hours of Friday and described the victims as including community elders, residents and security personnel.

He identified some of the civilian victims as Nyikyaa Agia, Mkohol Ahowe, Agah Saanmoyol, popularly known as Dodo, Mlahaga Kpurkpur, Geoffrey Gaku, also known as Bala, and two children.

Mr Ugande had initially put the death toll at 12, including four police officers and eight civilians. The police later confirmed 11 deaths, comprising four officers and seven civilians.

Ayilamo division created amid security concerns

The latest attack comes about a year after the police upgraded the Ayilamo Police Station to a divisional headquarters as part of a broader restructuring of policing in Benue.

On 20 August 2025, the then Benue Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, announced that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun had approved the creation of two new area commands and upgraded five police stations to divisional status.

Ayilamo was among the five stations upgraded.

The other stations were Yelewata, Jato-Aka, Okpokolo and Agan.

The police said at the time that the restructuring followed an assessment that identified “geographical gaps” between police formations and vulnerable communities in troubled parts of the state.

The newly created Daudu Area Command was to oversee Guma, Daudu, Yelwata and Agan divisions, while Naka Area Command was to supervise Naka, Apa, Agatu and Okpokolo divisions.

Ms Edet said the restructuring was intended to improve police response in areas with difficult terrain and facilitate the resolution of farmer-herder conflicts and distress calls.

“This adjustment will assist the command in policing troubled areas with large and difficult terrains. These Divisions will also ensure quick resolution of conflict between farmers and herders and facilitate quick response to distress calls,” she said.

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The then Commissioner of Police in Benue, Ifeanyi Emenari, described the restructuring as a “crucial intervention” aimed at strengthening policing in the state.

But the killing of four police officers and seven civilians in Ayilamo less than two years after the division was created highlights the continuing security challenges confronting communities in the area.

Additional police deployed

Following Thursday’s attack, the police said additional tactical teams had been mobilised and deployed to Ayilamo to reinforce existing security arrangements.

The command said it was also working with other security agencies to strengthen security and sustain operations in the affected area.

The Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the officers who responded to the attack and paid tribute to the four officers killed.

He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased civilians and the Ayilamo community.

The command urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and to provide timely information that could assist security agencies in their ongoing operations.