By Austin Angwe, Makurdi
An attack on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on Sunday has left about four police officers dead.
A fleeing victim who spoke with our reporter Monday in Makurdi, on condition of anonymity said the attackers equally made away with police riffles.
He said the herdsmen went further to attack Tse-Asha and Ukange villages near Ortese IDP camps during which security personnel stationed at Gungu Aze moved to the scene and engaged the attackers in a fierce fire exchange suppressing them.
According to the informant following the development, fear has gripped residents of the affected communities with some fleeing to safety zones.
Reacting to the development, President, Association of United Farmers Benue Valley, AUFBV, Chief Dennis Gbongbon said he personally on June 22 alerted the police in Nasarawa that armed herdsmen numbering about 50 carrying sophisticated weapons and cows were heading towards Yelewata/Keana axis.
According to Chief Gbongbon, he further gave information that the bandits allegedly sponsored by Alago and Kwandara tribes of Nasarawa state to cause mayhem on Tiv communities over land skirmishes vowed they would continue to also attack Benue border communities.
He said he had earlier informed security agencies that the Alago and Kwandara tribes have also camped Lukurawa bandits at Keana, Obi, Doma, and Awe borders since 2024, lamenting that since then the killers are being protected by traditional rulers, Nasarawa State government and its police command and described inaction by the police and Nasarawa state government as declaring a silent war against Tiv in Nasarawa and those at the border zones.
He said before the Udei attack which claimed the lives of four police officers, he had informed that the herders were passing Ome, Akaba through Akanga in Obi Local Government Area to boast out at Kadarko railway route and adequately informed the police to mobilize to Udei and Yelewata, lamenting that the police did not act as required.
According to the AUFBV President, “We informed DSS of what happened at Udei since June 22, where the herders were camped, their route and mission” lamenting that their call received no positive response only for the invaders to successfully launch an attack on Udei killing police officers on Sunday.
Udeme Edet, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, told journalists when contacted that she was yet to be briefed on the incident.