Soldier, NSCDC Officer, Killed By Suspected Armed Herders In Benue

Two security operatives attached to the Operation Whirl-Stroke Joint Taskforce were killed on Saturday by suspected armed herders in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

A local source told our correspondent that the incident occurred in Udeku community, Turan district, within the council area.

A community leader from the troubled area, Mr. Lawrence Akerigba, informed newsmen that the attack forced residents to flee and added that all economic and social activities in the community have been paralyzed.

According to further sources, the slain security officers were among the personnel deployed to the area to strengthen security and maintain peace.

Our correspondent learned that the deceased—a soldier and a personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)—had left their duty post for Aga Market on a motorcycle to refill their cooking gas.

One source said, “Unfortunately, on their way back, they ran into a roadblock mounted by the Fulani militants to attack the community. They took them (the deceased officers) by surprise, opened fire, and killed them instantly.”

It was further reported that some youths, disturbed by the incident, mobilized, combed the forest, and recovered the charred bodies of the slain officers, taking them to the mortuary at Jato Aka.

Sources added that the suspected herders had attacked the area last week, killing five farmers.

A senior military officer with Operation Whirl-Stroke, who requested anonymity, confirmed the incident on Sunday, saying, “Yes, a soldier was killed, and he was an Aircraftman.”

Also, the Police Public Relations Officer of Benue State Command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident but clarified, “No police officer was killed, but regrettably an officer from our sister agency did not make it.”

In his reaction, the Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Michael Ejelikwu, confirmed the attack on Sunday. He said, “Yes, unfortunately, I can confirm that at about 1500 hours on Saturday, 10th January 2026, Fulani militias attacked three security personnel attached to Operation Whirl-Stroke and killed two of them. The unfortunate incident occurred at Udedeku, Maav-ya, Mbakyor council ward of Kwande Local Government Area.”

The NSCDC spokesperson identified the personnel killed as CCA Tijani Idris, NSCDC S/No: 76691, from Kaduna State Command but seconded to the Operation Whirl-Stroke Joint Taskforce.

Ejelikwu, however, assured that despite the tragedy, the NSCDC remains determined and committed to confronting insecurity in all its forms.