Four Mobile Policemen and eight residents were reportedly killed after suspected armed herdsmen attacked Ayilamo community in Tombola Ward, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

Ayilamo, a farming community along the Abinsi-Tyulen-Anyii-Wukari axis, has experienced repeated attacks by armed groups, according to residents.

A resident, Tyolumu Ugande, said more than 200 armed men invaded the community through Alufu Road in neighbouring Taraba State, shooting sporadically and setting houses on fire.

Ugande said a detachment of Mobile Policemen deployed to the community engaged the attackers in a prolonged gun battle. The assailants eventually withdrew, but four policemen were later found dead in nearby bushes on Friday morning.

“We also discovered eight bodies of residents of Ayilamo who were killed by the bandits,” Ugande said.

The incident was also confirmed by the Secretary of the Ayilamo Security Committee, who said the community had appealed to security agencies for reinforcement.

Another resident, James Ugah, alleged that the latest incident was the second attack in a month in which Mobile Policemen deployed to the area had been killed.

“The bandits have been trying to set the whole Ayilamo ablaze for more than two years now. We called on security personnel, Benue and the federal government to help secure our land and lives,” Ugah said.

He also claimed that residents had linked the attacks to reports of possible mineral deposits in and around the community, although the claim has not been independently verified.

Efforts to obtain confirmation from the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Orchia Aondogwu, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report.