No fewer than two personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have lost their lives when a joint security patrol team was ambushed by armed men at Udei in Guma Local Council of Benue State.
At least three other officers have been missing since the incident, which happened on Tuesday.
It was learnt that the team, comprising personnel of the Police Mobile Force (13 PMF, 58 PMF), State Intelligence Services (SIS), Operation Zenda, Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), NSCDC), Benue State Civil Protection Guards, and local vigilantes, was responding to reports of burning houses in the area when they came under attack at about 4:38 p.m.
The team was said to have encountered heavy gunfire around the Ukohol community on the Makurdi-Lafia highway while advancing towards the affected Udei village, where houses were set ablaze.
During the ambush, one Inspector Ochepo Benjamin of the police force and an unnamed NSCDC officer sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where they are currently receiving treatment.
However, the trio of Police Inspector Muhammed Abdullahi and two NSCDC officers are said to be missing.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, told journalists in Makurdi that she did not have information about the incident.
But her NSCDC counterpart, Michael Ejelikwu, confirmed the casualties in a telephone chat.
He identified the two fallen officers as Adoli Simon (ASCI) and Ernest Tyolumun Ayilla (ASCI).
Ejelikwu said: “Yes, I can sadly and regrettably confirm the killing of two of our personnel, Adoli Simon (ASCI) and Ernest Tyolumun Ayilla (ASCI), who both paid the supreme price defending their fatherland during a joint security team clear-out operations at Udei, Guma Local Government Area on 8th July, 2025 at about 1638 hours.”
THIS is even as survivors of the Yelwata massacre in the same state have stressed the need for enhanced security and swift prosecution of those responsible for the dastardly act.
They spoke yesterday during a North Central Town Hall in Makurdi.
At the event, themed: ‘Crisis in the heartland: Ending the cycle of violence in Benue’, the victims said despite the directive of President Bola Tinubu, they were unimpressed with the progress made so far amid the ongoing threat to their safety.
The programme drew a diverse audience, including community elders, security officials, representatives of civil society, and those directly impacted by the attacks.
A survivor, Jerry Ayem, recounted: “Around 10 p.m., the Fulanis broke into our home, firing their guns. They smashed through our door. My mother and children were killed; they were hacked with machetes. ”
Another victim, Tavershima Orlalumunga, who is a local farmer, said: “The attackers cut my hand for refusing the cows to feed on my crops.”
The aftermath of the attack has been devastating. Official figures confirm that over 100 people perished in the Yelewata massacre, though some estimates suggest the death toll may be closer to 200. The victims spanned all ages, from children to the elderly, many of whom were unable to escape the onslaught.
This tragedy is just one in a series of violent incidents that have plagued the state, contributing to a death toll that has exceeded 1,000 in the past two years due to persistent clashes and retaliatory attacks.
The violence has also triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 6,500 people who now find themselves in overcrowded camps, struggling with limited resources and uncertain futures.
Consequently, 380 pregnant women and 2,536 children are in the Makurdi IDP camp.
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) made a lot of reference to the unsavoury situation.
The camp manager, Robert Nyom, said: “We have more than registered 2,336 households in the camp, comprising 5,294 individuals. The figure is made up of 2,536 children, 389 pregnant women, 233 aged women and 181 aged men.”
He denied allegations that children from the camp were being given out for care, emphasising that there was a procedure to be followed for that purpose and BSEMA had not received any request from anybody for that purpose.
Credit: The Guardian
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