Several persons were killed by terrorists during an attack on the Abande village in the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state, including a police officer.
The attack took place near the Cameroon border on market day, when armed bandits stormed the village, robbed stalls, and set fire to them.
Akerigbe Lawrence, a former councilman, informed our correspondent that the terrorists struck during a market day, murdering several people.
He continued, “The invaders looted stalls and set the market on fire. As of 11:55 p.m., some of the victims’ bodies were conveyed to Jato-Aka by personnel of the Mobile Police Force stationed in the area.”
Lawrence identified six fatalities whose remains were retrieved and transferred to the morgue, including Lornunbe Agba, Chia Kile, Terseer Shenge, Mker Ugbe, Emmanuel Agba, Ortswen Gbinde, and a mobile police officer.
However, the authorities acknowledged five casualties.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, State Command spokesperson DSP Udeme Edet stated, “On 3 February 2026, at about 17:30 hours, the Divisional Police Officer, Jato-Aka, received a distress call that suspected armed herder bandits had attacked police personnel stationed at the Abande community as well as members of the community.
“During the ensuing confrontation, while police operatives were responding to the distress call, one Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to 13 Police Mobile Force, Makurdi, who was on special duty at Abande Community, was fatally injured. Regrettably, four members of the community also lost their lives.”
The police stated that the combined teams of operatives and other security agencies had been deployed to secure the community, conduct thorough searches, and prevent further lawlessness.
“The deceased persons have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary,” Edet added.
Ifeanyi Emenari, the state’s Commissioner of Police, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to immediately proceed to Jato-Aka with additional Mobile Force personnel and Armored Personnel Carriers to coordinate intensive operations, track down perpetrators, and make arrests.
Speaking with our journalist, the area’s traditional ruler, Ter Kwande, acknowledged the attack and regretted the insecurity in his territory.
“Six of my people and a policeman were killed, and their bodies were recovered last night. The other three policemen have fled, leaving the area vulnerable,” he said.
He urged the federal government to establish a permanent military presence in Abande, pointing out that the nearest army units in Jato-Aka and Agbatse are roughly one to one-and-a-half hours away due to poor terrain and a lack of network connectivity.
Abande and its adjacent communities have been subjected to recurrent violent attacks. On Christmas Day 2024, about 28 persons were slain in Anwase.
Earlier this year, on January 15, 2026, a farmer and his son were assassinated in Imande Avur Abande, and two security personnel assigned to Operation Whirl Stroke were ambushed and killed.
