At least four Mobile Policemen have been feared dead following a renewed attack by suspected armed herders on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on Sunday afternoon.
The assault, which occurred around 11 a.m., sent shockwaves through the community and nearby settlements. Udei, located just 15 minutes from Yelewata another community recently hit by bandit attacks has now become the latest target in the string of violent incidents plaguing the state.
According to eyewitnesses, the assailants also made an attempt to infiltrate Daudu, a neighbouring community. However, they were repelled by a joint force of security personnel and local youths who responded swiftly to the threat.
They were said to have invaded the Asha community, where they shot sporadically, chasing people away from their farms, and it eventually escalated to Ortese, which is home to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.
The source disclosed that the quick intervention of the military personnel stationed in the area who engaged the marauders in the bush halted their move into Ortese, and no resident was killed in the renewed attack.
Contacted a community leader in the area and former acting Chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr Matthew Mnyan, who confirmed the development, disclosed that “the attack started at about 11 am at Asha, which is very close to Ortese. They began pursuing people from their farms, and it escalated to Ortese.
“It got to the point that the soldiers there moved in with their armoured truck, and when it became intense, they moved in another armoured truck, and they engaged them for up to one hour in the bush.
And before you knew it, they started moving and shooting at Dudu, which is before Daudu.
“When I got the information, I immediately called the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, who took his men there to repel them.
“In what looked like a coordinated attack, they also attacked Udei at about 2 pm, and four Mobile Policemen were killed in the shootout.
“I was told that they are still around even now. They have reappeared at Ortese this evening. As we speak, people are in fear.
“When I called the Area Commander he said he has mobilised to Udei and I learnt they went in their numbers but it is getting dark and people are entertaining fear. Even the IDPs in Ortese are all in fear and calling that they need more security.”
This latest wave of attacks came about 16 days after a similar attack on the neighbouring Yelewata community claimed over 200 lives, with many hospitalised and many others displaced.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Udeme Edet were unsuccessful. She did not pick up her calls and also did not reply to her text messages.