Armed Fulani herders kill soldier, NSCDC officer in Benue

Suspected armed Fulani herders have killed an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC and a soldier in at Udeku community in the Turan district of the Kwande Local Government Council of Benue State.

A community leader, Mr Lawrence Akerigba confirmed the attack, but said, residents of the community have deserted the trouble community for fear of an attack, even as farm harvest this dry season has been grounded.

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It was gathered that the deceased security officers were among other colleagues deployed to the highly troubled community to maintain law and order before they were killed while returning from Aga market, after they went there to refill their cooking gas.

“Unfortunately, on their way back, they ran into a roadblock mounted by Fulani militants who were attacking the community,” a source said.

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“They took them unawares, opened fire on them and killed them instantly,” the source added.

He explained that the youths in the community hurriedly mobilized and combed the forest, recovered the charred bodies of the deceased officers, which were taken to the mortuary at Jato Aka.

It was further learnt that the suspected herders had invaded the area last week and killed five farmers in cold blood.

A senior military officer with Operation Whirl Stroke, who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of official authorisation to speak to the press, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.

“Yes, a soldier was killed, and he was an aircraftman,” the officer said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Udeme Edet, also confirmed the incident but clarified that no police officer was involved.

“No police officer was killed, but regrettably an officer from our sister agency did not make it,” Edet said.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Mr. Michael Ejelikwu, confirmed the incident on Sunday.

Ejelikwu said: “Yes, unfortunately, I can confirm to you that at about 1500 hours on Saturday, January 10, 2026, Fulani militias attacked three security personnel attached to Operation Whirl Stroke and killed two of them.

“The unfortunate incident happened at Udedeku, Maav-Ya, Mbakyor council ward of Kwande Local Government Area.”
The NSCDC spokesperson identified the personnel killed as CCA Tijani Idris, NSCDC service number 76691, from the Kaduna State Command but seconded to the Operation Whirl Stroke Joint Task Force.

He added that despite the unfortunate incident, the NSCDC remained determined and committed to confronting insecurity in all its forms.

Since the US airstrike on ISWAP camps in Sokoto on December 25, there has been a resurgence of killings and attacks on farmers and security operatives in parts of Benue State.

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