At least four Mobile Police officers and eight residents have been killed in a suspected bandit attack on Ayilamo community in Tombo Ward, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack reportedly occurred in the early hours of Saturday when the armed assailants stormed the farming community located along the Abinsi-Tyulen-Anyiin-Wukari road.
Residents said the community had suffered repeated attacks by armed groups in recent times, leaving residents increasingly concerned about the safety of their lives and property.
An eyewitness, Tyolumun Ugande, said more than 200 armed men allegedly entered the community through the Amafu Road axis from neighbouring Taraba State at about 2 a.m.
According to him, the attackers opened fire indiscriminately and set some houses ablaze.
Ugande said Mobile Police officers deployed to the community engaged the attackers in a gun battle that lasted several hours before the assailants were eventually repelled.
“The bandits invaded the community at about 2 a.m., and the policemen engaged them in a gun duel. After several hours of exchange of gunfire, the bandits were repelled, but this morning, the lifeless bodies of four Mobile Police officers were found in the bush,” he said.
He added that eight residents were also found dead following the attack.
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area confirmed the killings and said reinforcement was being deployed to the community to strengthen security and prevent further attacks.
Another resident, James Udough, said the incident was the second attack within a month in which Mobile Police personnel deployed to Ayilamo had reportedly been killed.
Udough alleged that the attackers planned to set the entire community ablaze before security personnel confronted them.
He appealed to the Benue State and Federal Governments to urgently deploy additional security personnel to the area, stressing that increased security presence was needed to protect residents and their property.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over the security situation in rural communities in the area, particularly those located close to the Benue-Taraba boundary.
