Ayomide Awe
At least 11 people, including four police officers and seven civilians, have been killed following an attack on Ayilamo community in Tombo Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The Benue State Police Command confirmed the casualties on Friday, saying four members of the Mobile Police Force and seven civilians were killed during the attack.
The incident reportedly occurred between Thursday night and the early hours of Friday, throwing residents into panic as suspected armed herders allegedly invaded the community and engaged security personnel in a prolonged gun battle.
The police spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondongu, confirmed the death toll in a telephone interview, stating that four policemen and seven civilians lost their lives.
He added that the command would issue a formal statement on the incident.
However, residents gave a more detailed account of the attack, alleging that a large group of armed men stormed Ayilamo through the Alufu Road axis from neighbouring Taraba State.
A resident, Tyolumun Ugande, said about 200 suspected armed herders invaded the community, shooting at residents and setting houses ablaze.
According to him, a team of Mobile Police officers deployed to the area engaged the attackers in a gun battle that lasted several hours before the assailants withdrew.
Ugande said the bodies of some of the victims were recovered from the surrounding bush on Friday morning.
The Secretary of the Ayilamo Security Committee, Umishi Terungwa, also described the attack as devastating, saying the casualties included community elders, residents and security personnel.
Terungwa attributed the attack to suspected Fulani assailants and listed some of the civilian victims as Baba Nyikyaa Mbanengen Agia, Mkohol Ahowe, Agah Saanmoyol, popularly known as Dodo, Baba Mlahaga Kpurkpur, Geoffrey Aondoakaa Gaku, also known as Bala, and two children.
The four Mobile Police officers reportedly killed in the attack were identified as ASP Paul Ina, Inspector Mohammed Yusuf, Inspector Oge Ikechukwu and Inspector Edeh Andrew.
The latest police figure puts the civilian death toll at seven, bringing the total number of fatalities to 11.
An earlier account from the community had put the death toll at 12, comprising four police officers and eight civilians.
The conflicting initial figures underscore the need for a full account of the casualties as authorities continue to assess the aftermath of the attack.
Benue has continued to face recurring attacks and communal violence, particularly in rural communities, with residents frequently calling for stronger security measures and faster intervention by security agencies.
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