Crime
Herders Attack: Five Benue Farmers Killed
In another wave of herders attacks, five farmers in the Udeku Maav-Ya community in the Mbakyol Council Ward, Turan district of the Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State have lost their lives.
The ugly incident transpired on Tuesday evening when a band of suspected armed herders struck the community.
Reliable local sources said that the incident happened at about 4pm as residents were harvesting yams and bambara nuts.
The attack, according to one of the locals who simply identified himself as Terna, disrupted activities in the community.
The chairman of Kwande Local Government Area, Tersua Yarkwan, has confirmed the killings of the five persons, adding that the attackers did not immediately withdraw after the assault, which he said caused tension in the area.
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Yarkwan, who described the area as a vulnerable border local government that shares an international boundary with Cameroon, lamented that the terrain complicates security operations.
The chairman said that the continued attacks during harvest season threaten food security.
Also confirming the incident, a former supervisory councillor in the local government, Akerigba Lawrence, decried the constant assault on the community.
He stated that residents of the community constantly faced sustained attacks and destruction of crops, homes, and economic trees, as well as restricted access to water sources.
He identified the victims of the attack to include Tyozua Gyuse, Gbaga Gyuse, and Tersuur Ijighka, adding that the names of two others were yet unknown.
He added that search operations were ongoing to find some of the residents who had been declared missing.
According to Lawrence schools, churches, and markets have been forced to shut down following repeated attacks.
The fresh attack on farmers has triggered concerns over the influx of armed herders in Benue communities, which always happens during the dry season.
Police Rescue Three Kidnap Victims in Taraba After Sustained Pressure
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of three kidnapped victims in Taraba State following sustained pressure mounted by its rescue teams.
The victims were identified as Otuwe Torhumba, 37; Kenneth Nyiutse, 35; and Michael Emmanuel, 27.
The Force made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in its 24-hour operational update covering security operations recorded across the country on October 2.
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According to the Police, “Due to sustained pressure by Police rescue teams, three of five kidnapped victims — Otuwe Torhumba (37), Kenneth Nyiutse (35) and Michael Emmanuel (27) — were rescued unharmed and reunited with their families.”
The Police said the three victims were rescued unharmed and subsequently reunited with their families.
The Force did not provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the abduction or the whereabouts of the remaining two victims in the operational summary.
The case is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jalingo.
The rescue was among several operational successes recorded by the Nigeria Police Force during the reporting period.
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of an 86-year-old man and his son after they were allegedly detained by suspected members of the Axe Men confraternity in Cross River State.
The victims, identified as Dominic Columbus Udoh, 86, and his son, Emmanuel Columbus Udoh, 40, were rescued by Police operatives on Friday, October 2, 2026.
The Police made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, in its 24-hour operational update detailing security successes recorded across the country.
SEE ALSO: Benue: Police Repel Bandit Ambush, Recover Locally Fabricated Gun
According to the Force, Police operatives were mobilised to the scene after receiving information that suspected Axe Men confraternity cultists had unlawfully detained the two men.
The Police said the suspected cultists fled from the scene when operatives arrived.
The Force stated that officers, with assistance from neighbours, “forced open the locked apartment,” where the two victims were found.
According to the Police, both victims had sustained facial and chest injuries.
They were subsequently rescued and conveyed to the Police Hospital for medical treatment.
The Police said the incident is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Calabar.
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed that personnel of Operation Zenda Joint Task Force (JTF) repelled an ambush by suspected bandits along the Amaafu-Abaji Road in Benue State.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 2, 2026, during a routine patrol by the security personnel along the road.
The Police made the disclosure on Saturday, in its 24-hour operational update detailing security successes recorded across different states.
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According to the Police, “Personnel of Operation Zenda JTF on routine patrol along Amaafu-Abaji Road successfully repelled an ambush by bandits, neutralizing one suspect and recovering his locally fabricated gun.”
The Police added that other members of the group fled into the surrounding bushes following the encounter.
It further stated that “No Police casualty was recorded” during the operation.
The recovered firearm was subsequently taken as part of the evidence from the operation as investigations continue.
The Police said the case has been placed under investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Makurdi.
The Police Force continues to urge members of the public to provide security agencies with timely and useful information that can assist ongoing operations against criminal elements.
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