At least four Mobile Policemen have been confirmed dead following a deadly Sunday afternoon attack by suspected armed herdsmen on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack, which began around 11 a.m., escalated across several settlements, including Asha, Ortese, and Dudu—all located within proximity of Ortese, home to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The gunmen were said to have stormed the area, shooting sporadically and chasing farmers from their farmlands.
The attackers reportedly ambushed Udei around 2 p.m., where they engaged security forces in a fierce gunfight, leading to the death of four Mobile Policemen. The assailants also reportedly seized the officers’ rifles during the exchange.
According to community sources, the attackers initially attempted to overrun Daudu, another nearby settlement, but were repelled by a joint force of security personnel and local youths. The violence then spread from Asha to Ortese before intensifying at Udei.
Confirming the incident, a community leader and former Acting Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Matthew Mnyan, according to a report by Vanguard, said that the coordinated attack caused widespread panic in the area.
“The attack started at about 11 a.m. at Asha, which is very close to Ortese,” Mnyan said. “They began pursuing people from their farms, and it escalated to Ortese. The soldiers responded with an armoured truck, and when it became intense, they brought in another armoured vehicle and engaged the attackers for nearly an hour in the bush.”
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Mnyan disclosed that the attackers later moved toward Dudu and eventually launched a second wave on Udei, where the four Mobile Policemen lost their lives.
“I called the Divisional Police Officer, who responded with his men. But by 2 p.m., they struck Udei again. I was told they’re still hovering around Ortese this evening. People are afraid. Even the IDPs are calling, asking for more security,” he said.
This latest incident comes barely two weeks after a similar assault on the nearby Yelewata community, which reportedly left over 200 people dead, many injured, and several displaced.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, for an official comment proved unsuccessful, as she neither answered calls nor responded to text messages at the time of filing this report.
The worsening insecurity in Guma LGA—hometown of former Governor Samuel Ortom—continues to raise alarm, with residents calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to forestall further bloodshed.