Two police inspectors and four civilians have been killed after heavily armed bandits stormed Tse-Kaseve village in Anyagba Ward, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack unfolded at about 4:00pm when scores of gunmen, reportedly riding nearly 100 motorcycles, descended on the community market in a brazen show of force. Residents fled as the assailants attempted to overrun the area.
A joint security team comprising officers of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and members of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.
According to local sources, 11 PMF personnel on special duty in the town confronted and initially repelled the bandits. However, the gunmen allegedly regrouped and ambushed two officers, Inspector Adams Saidu and Inspector Edem Endimon, both attached to 11 PMF, Calabar, fatally shooting them and making away with their service rifles.
Police authorities confirmed that four civilians also lost their lives, while one injured resident was rushed to Katsina-Ala Hospital for treatment.
Reinforcements from the Nigerian Army, alongside additional tactical teams and vigilante groups, have since been deployed to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
The latest violence underscores the growing security challenges facing communities in Benue, where rural markets and villages have increasingly become soft targets for armed groups.
