Benue Attack: 3 policemen killed, 7 still missing

The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed a brutal ambush on its Tactical Teams in Benue State, leaving three officers dead and seven others unaccounted for.

The attack, which took place on Friday at Agu Centre in Katsina-Ala/Ukum Local Government Area, was allegedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen and local militias.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed in a Sunday statement that six suspects have already been arrested and are providing “useful information” to investigators.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue, CP Innocent Ifeanyi Emenari, is personally leading the search-and-rescue mission for the missing personnel, while tactical teams comb the area for fleeing attackers.

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, condemned the assault as “cruel and unwarranted,” describing it as an attack on the people of Benue State. He vowed that no stone would be left unturned in flushing out the perpetrators, ordering the deployment of additional tactical assets to restore peace in the troubled zone.

This fresh violence comes barely days after a similar ambush in Egbe, Yagba West LGA of Kogi State, where three officers were gunned down at a checkpoint.

The Force has urged Nigerians to remain calm, vigilant, and supportive as security agencies intensify efforts to rescue the missing officers and dismantle the armed groups behind the bloodshed.