At least four mobile police officers are feared to have lost their lives following a new wave of violence on Sunday afternoon, as suspected armed herders launched a deadly assault on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
This latest attack comes barely two weeks after a similar incident in nearby Yelewata community reportedly claimed the lives of over 200 residents, underscoring the deteriorating security situation in the region.
According to local witnesses, the violence began around 11 a.m. when the attackers stormed Asha community, firing indiscriminately and forcing residents, including farmers working their fields, to flee for safety.
The crisis quickly spread toward Ortese, a settlement that hosts thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), creating panic among already vulnerable populations.
A local source explained that the attackers also attempted to advance toward Daudu but were confronted and repelled by a combined force of security personnel and local vigilante groups.
“They entered Asha and forced people off their farms. As they moved toward Ortese, the military intervened with armoured vehicles and pushed them back into the bush,” the source recounted.
Confirming the incident, Matthew Mnyan, a former acting Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, described the swift response of security forces.
“The attack began around 11 a.m. at Asha, very close to Ortese. Soldiers deployed with an armoured truck and engaged the attackers in the bush for over an hour. Later, they tried to push toward Dudu before Daudu, but I alerted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who mobilised his men to stop them,” Mnyan said.
However, the violence did not end there. In what appeared to be a coordinated offensive, the attackers struck Udei community around 2 p.m. that same day. It was during this confrontation that four Mobile Policemen were reportedly killed in an intense gun battle.
“They attacked Udei at about 2 p.m. I received information that four Mobile Policemen were killed in the firefight,” Mnyan added.
As evening fell, residents of Ortese and neighbouring communities remained gripped by fear, with reports suggesting that the assailants had reappeared in the area later that evening.
“The Area Commander told me they had mobilised to Udei, but it’s getting dark. People are afraid. Even the IDPs are making frantic calls for more security,” Mnyan said.
This renewed wave of violence highlights the ongoing security crisis in Benue State. Years of repeated attacks—often blamed on armed herders—have devastated local communities, leading to hundreds of deaths, the destruction of farmland, and the displacement of thousands of families into overcrowded IDP camps.
Observers have called for stronger security deployments, improved early-warning systems, and genuine dialogue between herder and farming communities to address the root causes of the conflict and end the cycle of violence that has left large swathes of Benue State in perpetual fear.
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