A police officer and four others have been killed in an assault by non-state actors in Abande Community, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The spokesman of the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said the attack happened on Tuesday.
While some reports claimed that about 16 people were killed during the incident, Udeme said, “An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to 13 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Makurdi, who was on special duty at Abande Community, was fatally injured during the attack.
“The Divisional Police Officer, Jato-Aka, received a distress call that suspected armed herder bandits, in large numbers, had attacked police personnel stationed at Abande Community as well as members of the community.
“Regrettably, four members of the community also lost their lives as a result of the attack by the bandits,” the spokesman said in a statement issued on Wednesday.