Suspected armed bandits killed four police officers and seven civilians in an attack on Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, the state police command has confirmed.
According to a statement from the Benue State Police Command, a large number of suspected armed bandits invaded Ayilamo at about 6:12 p.m. on Thursday, September 10. Police Mobile Force units, tactical teams and conventional officers were deployed to the community and engaged the attackers in a gun battle that lasted roughly seven hours before repelling them into the surrounding forest in the early hours of Friday.
The four slain officers were identified as ASP Paul Ina, Inspector Mohammed Yusuf, Inspector Oge Ikechukwu and Inspector Edeh Andrew; their bodies were recovered during search operations in the bush.
Seven civilians were also killed, among them community elders and two children, according to the Ayilamo Security Committee. Residents said the attackers, estimated at around 200, entered the community through a road linking it to neighbouring Taraba State, opening fire on residents and setting houses ablaze. Several other people were reported injured or unaccounted for.
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia commended the Department of State Services for what he called a prompt operation that led to the arrest of three suspects linked to the attack, and urged the agency to intensify its investigation.
Police Commissioner Cletus Nwadiogbu praised the officers' response and offered condolences to the families of those killed. Ayilamo, upgraded to a divisional police headquarters roughly a year ago as part of a restructuring meant to close security gaps in vulnerable Benue communities, has now suffered one of the deadliest single attacks on security personnel in the state this year.
