Tension continues to grip communities along the Daudu-Yelewata axis of Benue State as a deadly ambush by suspected armed herdsmen claimed the lives of four security operatives and left others injured in the Udei area of Guma Local Government.
The joint patrol team, known as the Buffalo Squad—made up of personnel from the Mobile Police Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards—was on routine surveillance Tuesday evening when the tragic encounter unfolded.
Eyewitnesses say the team had diverted from the expressway after noticing smoke rising from Udei, a remote village roughly two kilometers off the main road.
As the officers ventured into the bush, they were met with a hail of gunfire from armed herders mounted on motorcycles, reportedly torching the village.
Three officers were gunned down instantly. A fourth, initially declared missing, was presumed dead after someone speaking an unidentifiable language answered his phone hours later.
Two others, including the Buffalo Squad commander, sustained injuries and were rushed to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, where they are said to be recovering.
The situation quickly escalated. Reinforcements were deployed, and a prolonged firefight broke out that extended into Wednesday. Residents of Daudu reported continuous, deafening gunshots reverberating throughout the town, prompting fear and panic.
“They came in droves, heavily armed. The sound of the gunfire was terrifying. We couldn’t sleep all night,” said a local resident who asked not to be named for security reasons.
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Confirming the attack, NSCDC spokesperson in Benue, Michael Ejelikwu, said the command lost two of its officers: ASCI Simon Adoli and ASCI Ernest Ayilla.
“These officers died heroes, defending the sovereignty of Nigeria,” Ejelikwu stated. “This tragedy will not deter our resolve. We remain committed, alongside other security agencies, to neutralizing threats in the region.”
The Police, however, declined to issue an official comment on the attack, with the state command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, refusing to provide further details.
The latest assault underscores a resurgence of violence by armed herdsmen in Benue, a state already beleaguered by years of bloody conflict between pastoralists and farming communities.
Just days ago, a village head and two others were murdered in a separate incident, adding to the growing sense of insecurity.
As the gunfight reportedly rages on into its third day, many villagers have fled their homes, and there is growing concern about the government’s capacity to contain the rising tide of attacks.