Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Bornet .k
Four mobile police officers and seven civilians have been confirmed dead after armed attackers invaded Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, police said.
The attack occurred on Thursday, 10 September 2026, in Ayilamo, Tombo Council Ward, Logo Local Government Area, according to the Benue State Police Command. Police said the assault continued into the early hours of Friday, 11 September.
The Benue police spokesman, Peter Aondongu, said suspected armed bandits arrived in large numbers and attacked the community, prompting a major security response.
He said police personnel drawn from the Police Mobile Force, tactical teams and conventional units were deployed to defend residents and confront the attackers.
According to the command, the operation lasted for about seven hours. Police said their personnel held their positions and eventually repelled the attackers, who retreated into surrounding forest areas.
The command said the armed men suffered heavy casualties during the exchange, although it did not state how many attackers were killed or injured.
Aondongu said the bodies of four police officers were recovered during search-and-rescue operations in nearby bushes after the attackers withdrew.
The police spokesman added that the bodies of seven civilians were also recovered from the community and surrounding areas. They were taken to a mortuary for necessary procedures.
The deaths of the officers underline the risks faced by security personnel deployed to communities affected by repeated violence. Police said the officers died while defending Ayilamo and attempting to stop the attack from spreading.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Cletus Nwadiogbu, praised the personnel who took part in the operation and paid tribute to the officers killed.
He said the officers showed courage and resilience in the defence of the community, describing their deaths as a major sacrifice in the service of the state and the country.
The identities of the four officers were given by local sources as Paul Ina, Mohammed Yusuf, Oge Ikechukwu and Edeh Andrew. Police had not released an official list of the deceased officers at the time of the report.
There is a difference between the police casualty figure and accounts from residents. While the police confirmed that seven civilians were killed, community sources said eight residents were found dead after the attack.
A resident, Tyolumun Ugande, told journalists that a large number of suspected armed herders entered the community from the Alufu Road axis in neighbouring Taraba State.
He said the attackers fired weapons and set houses ablaze, forcing residents to flee as mobile police officers deployed in the area confronted the armed group.
Ugande said that after hours of gunfire, the attackers withdrew. He added that the bodies of four police officers and eight residents were recovered in the bush on Friday morning.
The Secretary of the Ayilamo Security Committee, Umishi Terungwa, also said the attack began on the night of 10 September and continued into the early hours of the following day.
Terungwa attributed the attack to Fulani assailants. That allegation has not been independently confirmed by the police, which described the attackers as suspected armed bandits.
He named several of the reported civilian victims, including Baba Nyikyaa Mbanengen Agia, Mkohol Ahowe, Agah Saanmoyol, also known as Dodo, Baba Mlahaga Kpurkpur and Geoffrey Aondoakaa Gaku, known as Bala.
Two children were also said by community sources to be among those killed. Their names were not made public in the information available at the time of filing.
The differing civilian death tolls illustrate the difficulty of obtaining a complete picture immediately after attacks in rural areas. Search operations, families reporting missing relatives and the identification of bodies can sometimes lead to changes in the confirmed figures.
Police said additional tactical teams had been mobilised and sent to Ayilamo to reinforce existing security arrangements. The command said it was also working with other agencies to sustain operations in the affected area.
Residents have been urged to remain calm, alert and cooperative with security personnel. The police asked members of the public to provide timely and credible information that may help investigators and operational teams respond to threats.
Ayilamo is located in Logo Local Government Area, one of the parts of Benue State that has repeatedly experienced deadly violence. Communities in the area have faced attacks, killings, displacement and destruction of homes over several years.
Benue has long been affected by conflict involving armed groups, farmers and herders, as well as wider criminal violence. The violence has disrupted farming, forced families from their homes and created deep fear in communities along vulnerable rural routes.
For residents, the effects of an attack often continue long after gunfire stops. Families must bury relatives, search for missing people, assess damage to homes and farms, and decide whether it is safe to remain in their community.
The loss of police officers can also affect the wider security response. Mobile police units are often deployed to high-risk areas where communities need protection from armed raids and other forms of violence.
The attack has renewed calls for stronger security measures in Logo and other vulnerable parts of Benue. Residents and community leaders want more permanent deployments, quicker responses to distress calls and improved intelligence to prevent attacks before they begin.
Governor Hyacinth Alia has previously said his administration is working with security agencies to address insecurity in Benue. The latest attack is likely to increase pressure on federal and state authorities to demonstrate that communities can be protected.
Authorities will need to investigate how the attackers entered Ayilamo, the route they used, the weapons involved and whether there were warning signs before the violence began.
They will also need to establish the final number of civilian deaths and provide support to bereaved families, injured survivors and people whose homes or livelihoods were affected.
The police said security operations would continue in the area. For the people of Ayilamo, the immediate concern is safety, recovery and ensuring that those responsible for the attack are identified and brought before the law.
Stone Reporters News will continue to follow developments and provide updates as police, state authorities and community leaders release further verified information.
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