Benue Attack: Officer and Four Others Killed — Police Report

Non-state actors attacked Abande Community, Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State, killing a police officer and four other people.

According to Udeme Edet, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, the attack took place on Tuesday.

According to Udeme, “An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to 13 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Makurdi, who was on special duty at Abande Community, was fatally injured during the attack,” despite some reports claiming that roughly 16 persons were murdered during the incident.
Jato-Aka, the Divisional Police Officer, received a distress call stating that a large number of suspected armed herder bandits had attacked both community people and police officers stationed in Abande Community.

Unfortunately, the bandits’ onslaught also claimed the lives of four community members,” the spokesperson stated in a statement released on Wednesday.
He claims that in order to safeguard the community, carry out a comprehensive search, and prevent future disruption of law and order, a combined team of police officers and other security agencies has been dispatched to the area.

He mentioned that the victims’ remains had been found and placed in the mortuary.

The spokesperson stated that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations) has been sent to the impacted area by Benue State Commissioner of Police Ifeanyi Emenari.

Emenari also expressed sympathy to the Abande community and the families of the deceased, but reassured them that steps are being taken to apprehend the offenders and restore harmony to the region.

Nine alleged terrorists are being prosecuted by the Federal Government in connection with the attack on the Yelwata community in Benue State, which claimed the lives of around 150 people.

The Federal Government filed 57 amended charges against the nine alleged terrorists on Monday.

The updated charge was presented to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Federation’s Minister of Justice/Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi, who is spearheading the prosecution.

Despite the fact that the amended charge originally included ten defendants, Fagbemi informed the court that the prosecution requested permission to remove the name of Yakubu Mamman, the sixth defendant.