Four police officers were feared killed on Sunday following an ambush by suspected herdsmen at Udei, a community in Benue State, sparking panic and mass displacement of residents.
The incident reportedly occurred when a team of mobile police officers responded to a distress call from Udei, located a few kilometres from Yelwata, where scores of villagers were killed by suspected herdsmen on June 13, 2025.
A local source told reporters that upon arrival, the officers instructed the community youths to retreat, believing there was no imminent threat. The police team then fired warning shots into the air, which were immediately returned by armed men lying in ambush. Four officers were said to have been killed in the attack.
“At about 3 p.m., the mobile police personnel arrived after we raised an alarm. We informed them that armed herdsmen were hiding nearby, but they didn’t believe us. As soon as they fired warning shots, the herdsmen opened fire, killing four policemen instantly,” the source said.
The attack caused widespread panic, forcing residents to flee from Udei to neighbouring communities including Ortese and Daudu, as the firefight between the assailants and joint security forces led by the military intensified.
As of press time, the Benue State Police Command had not issued an official statement regarding the incident, despite repeated inquiries sent to the Command’s spokesperson, SP Udeme Edet, over a 24-hour period.
