A fresh wave of violence hit Benue State on Sunday as armed herdsmen reportedly killed at least four Mobile Police officers during a new assault on Udei, a community in the Guma Local Government Area.
AFRIPOST gathered that the attack comes just under two weeks after a massacre in nearby Yelewata claimed over 200 lives.
Eyewitnesses who spoke with Vanguard described a sudden and violent invasion of Asha community around 11 a.m., which sent residents and farmers fleeing as gunmen fired indiscriminately.
The conflict spread rapidly to Ortese, a settlement that houses a large number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Witnesses revealed the attackers attempted to breach Daudu but were resisted by a joint force of security personnel and local vigilantes.
“They invaded Asha, chased people off their farms, and moved toward Ortese.
“The military intervened with armoured vehicles and repelled them in the bush,” a resident shared with Vanguard.
Matthew Mnyan, a former acting Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, confirmed the coordinated nature of the attacks.
“The attack started at about 11am at Asha, very close to Ortese. Soldiers moved in with their armoured truck and engaged the attackers in the bush for over an hour,” he said.
“Later, they attempted to push into Dudu, just before Daudu. I immediately contacted the DPO, who moved his men in to repel them,” Mnyan added.
However, the situation deteriorated further by afternoon when the attackers struck Udei community around 2 p.m., reportedly killing four Mobile Police officers during a shootout.
“They attacked Udei around 2 pm. I was informed that four Mobile Policemen were gunned down in the shootout,” Mnyan stated.
He warned that the attackers might still be active in the area.
“Even now, there are reports that the attackers have reappeared at Ortese this evening. People are terrified, and IDPs are calling for more security.”
The tension has heightened fears of renewed violence as night approaches, especially among the already displaced residents.
“The Area Commander told me they had mobilised to Udei, but it is getting dark. The people are scared. Even the IDPs are making frantic calls for protection,” he added.
The attack further deepens the worsening security crisis in Benue, where continued assaults by suspected herdsmen have left numerous communities grieving, displaced, and deserted.