By Rafiyat Sadiq
Armed herders on Sunday attacked the Udei community in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, killing four Mobile Police officers in what residents described as a coordinated assault that once again threw the area into panic.
The attackers launched the operation around 11 a.m., moving from the Asha community toward Ortese, which houses thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
This latest assault comes just over two weeks after armed herders attacked Yelewata, a neighbouring community, where more than 200 people reportedly died and many others were displaced.
Eyewitnesses said the herders stormed Asha, fired sporadically, and forced farmers to flee.
As the violence escalated, the attackers were said to have advanced toward Ortese.
Military personnel stationed in the area responded swiftly, engaged the attackers in a gun battle in the nearby bush, and prevented further casualties among residents.
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The assailants attempted to enter Daudu but faced resistance from a joint force of security operatives and local youths. By 2 p.m., the herders reached Udei, where they killed four policemen during a shootout.
Community leader and former acting chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr Matthew Mnyan, confirmed the incident. He said the soldiers deployed two armoured vehicles to push back the attackers and battled them in the bush for nearly an hour.
“The attack began at Asha and spread to Ortese. They chased people from their farms before the soldiers engaged them,” he said. “Later, they moved towards Dudu and eventually struck Udei, where four mobile policemen lost their lives. Residents in Ortese are now living in fear.”
Mnyan added that the Area Commander and other security operatives mobilised to Udei in response to the renewed violence. Despite the deployment, tension remained high as night fell.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Benue Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful. She did not respond to calls or text messages.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.