No fewer than four Mobile policemen were feared killed in a fresh attack by armed herders on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
Udei community is less than 15 minutes drive from the Yelewata community that was equally invaded over two weeks ago by armed bandits.
Reports said that the marauders, who launched the attacks at about 11am on Sunday, also attempted to storm neighbouring Daudu but were repelled by a combined team of security agencies and the youths of the area.
They were said to have invaded the Asha community, where they shot sporadically, chasing people away from their farms, and it eventually escalated to Ortese, which is home to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A source reportedly disclosed the quick intervention of the military personnel stationed in the area, who engaged the marauders in the bush, halted their move into Ortese, and no resident was killed in the renewed attack.
A community leader in the area and former acting Chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Matthew Mnyan, said: “The attack started at about 11am at Asha, which is very close to Ortese. They began pursuing people from their farms, and it escalated to Ortese.
“It got to the point that the soldiers there moved in with their armoured truck, and when it became intense, they moved in another armoured truck, and they engaged them for up to one hour in the bush.
And before you knew it, they started moving and shooting at Dudu, which is before Daudu.
“In what looked like a co-ordinated attack, they also attacked Udei at about 2pm, and four Mobile policemen were killed in the shootout.
“I was told that they are still around even now. They have reappeared at Ortese this evening. As we speak, people are in fear.
“When I called the Area Commander he said he has mobilised to Udei and I learnt they went in their numbers but it is getting dark and people are entertaining fear. Even the IDPs in Ortese are all in fear and calling that they need more security.”
This latest wave of attacks came about 16 days after a similar attack on the neighbouring Yelewata community claimed over 200 lives, with many hospitalised and several others displaced.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Udeme Edet, could not be reached at the time of filing this report on Sunday night.