Police confirm killing of officer, three others in Benue community attack

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the death of a police officer and three others in an attack by suspected armed herdsmen in Aondona village, Gwer West Local Government Area of the state.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sewuese Anene, disclosed this to journalists on Monday in Makurdi. She stated that the officer was killed while trying to protect residents during the assault.

“The police responded promptly when the incident in Aondona was reported. So far, three bodies have been recovered and investigations are ongoing,” Anene said.

She also noted that, “a policeman had earlier died defending one of the villages just a few hours before the Aondona incident in Gwer West.”

However, local residents claim the scale of the attacks is much larger. They allege that assaults occurred in at least four communities, resulting in over 30 deaths, several injuries, and the abduction of two individuals.

The affected communities include Aondona, Ahume, Tyolaha, and Orbiam. According to a local source, over 15 people were killed in Aondona alone, seven in Ahume, five in Tyolaha, and six in Orbiam. Two persons were reportedly kidnapped during the attacks.

The source added that the armed herdsmen began their rampage in Aondona on Saturday evening and continued on Monday in Ahume and other villages.

In the wake of the violence, most residents have fled their homes as the attacks have become increasingly frequent. People in Mablim, a neighboring community in Gwer East Local Government Area, have also reportedly fled to Taraku town for safety.

(NAN)