Four mobile police officers and seven civilians have been confirmed dead following an armed attack on Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to the Benue State Police Command, the attackers entered the community in large numbers and engaged security personnel in a gun battle lasting more than seven hours. Tactical teams, mobile police personnel and conventional officers were deployed, eventually forcing the attackers towards surrounding forest areas.
Residents gave varying civilian casualty figures, with some reporting eight residents killed, while the police confirmed that seven civilian bodies had been recovered. Houses were also reportedly set ablaze during the attack.
The killing of four officers while defending the community adds another dimension to persistent insecurity in parts of Benue. Local residents said Ayilamo has experienced repeated attacks and renewed appeals for a stronger security presence.
Beyond the immediate criminal investigation, repeated mass attacks raise broader questions about early-warning intelligence, inter-state movement of armed groups, protection of vulnerable farming settlements and whether perpetrators of previous attacks are being successfully identified and prosecuted.
Source: Daily Trust
