Bandits kill soldier, NSCDC officer on their way to fill cooking gas in Benue

Bandits, suspected armed herders, have killed a soldier and an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at Udeku community in the Turan district of the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident, confirmed by a community leader, Lawrence Akerigba on Saturday, stated that the attack forced residents to flee the community.

Akerigba added that all economic and social activities in the area had been grounded as a result of the attack.

According to PUNCH, the murdered security operatives were among officers deployed to the area to help maintain peace amid incessant attacks by suspected armed herders in the local government.

The slain officers were reportedly returning from Aga Market, where they had gone on a motorcycle 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.

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

Further sources disclosed that youths in the area quickly mobilised, combed the forest and 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 stated 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.

Meanwhile, a traditional ruler in Gwer West Local Government Area and the Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, HRH Daniel Abomtse and Mr. James Ejeh respectively, in separate chats with newmen noted the influx of bandits in the state.