2 cops killed as gunmen ambush a police division entourage in Benue, Nigeria

Two newly deployed Mobile Police officers were killed in an ambush by armed attackers in Ayilamo community, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria.

The incident happened around 6 p.m. on Monday, 14 September 2026. The officers were escorting the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ayilamo Police Division as he returned to the community from Makurdi.

This brings the total number of police officers killed in Ayilamo to six within four days. Four Mobile Police officers had been killed during an earlier attack on the community on Thursday, 10 September.

Benue State Police Command spokesperson Peter Aondongu confirmed the latest incident to journalists in Makurdi on Tuesday. “The DPO’s entourage was ambushed on its way back from Makurdi to Ayilamo,” he said, adding that two policemen died in the attack. The identities of the two officers were not immediately released.

Residents told reporters that the attackers were suspected to be armed herders operating from forests and deserted villages in the Tombo Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area. They expressed concern about the movement of armed men through the area and called for sustained security operations to prevent further attacks.

Earlier Attack on 10 September

The latest ambush followed a major assault four days earlier. Suspected armed herders invaded Ayilamo around 6:12 p.m. on 10 September, engaging police in a prolonged gun battle. Police Mobile Force personnel, tactical teams, and conventional officers responded and eventually drove the attackers into surrounding forests in the early hours of 11 September.

Four officers—Paul Ina, Mohammed Yusuf, Oge Ikechukwu, and Edeh Andrew—were killed. Their bodies were recovered from nearby bushes during search-and-rescue operations. Seven civilians also died, bringing the total death toll from that attack to 11. A resident reported that about 200 suspected armed herders had invaded the community, shooting residents and burning houses.

Police Support for Families

On the same day the latest killings were confirmed, Benue Police Command presented insurance cheques to families of fallen officers at its headquarters in Makurdi. Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu conveyed the condolences of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and noted that while no payment could fully compensate for the loss, the benefits were meant to provide relief and support to the families.

Background on Ayilamo Policing

Ayilamo Police Station was upgraded to a full divisional headquarters in August 2025 as part of a broader restructuring in Benue State. The move aimed to improve response times in vulnerable areas and address farmer-herder conflicts. Despite the upgrade, the community has continued to face deadly attacks, with six officers now lost in two incidents within four days.

The latest ambush is expected to intensify calls for greater security presence and ongoing operations in the forests and abandoned settlements around Ayilamo and other parts of Logo Local Government Area.