By Solomon Nnaji.

No fewer than 16 security operatives are feared dead, while several others remain missing, following an ambush by suspected armed herdsmen working in concert with local militia gangs during an operation at Agu Centre, a rural settlement in Mbatyula/Mberev Council Ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State.

Survivors of the attack sustained varying degrees of injuries, while the trucks conveying the operatives were set ablaze and their motorcycles seized by the assailants. Among those killed were personnel of Operation Anyam Nyor, the state-established Joint Security Task Force made up of police officers and operatives of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG).

According to a local source, more than 90 operatives, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Danlami Usman, popularly known as “Dan Zuru,” had moved into the area on a mission to flush out armed herdsmen when they came under attack. The source explained that the herdsmen, reinforced by local militia gangs estimated at nearly 1,000 fighters, laid an ambush between Tse Agbami and Agu Centre, along the Katsina-Ala/Ukum border.

“They drove into the ambush and, in the exchange of gunfire, over 16 members of the team were killed. Several others were captured, including ASP Dan Zuru, who had been leading the fight against armed herdsmen and bandits in Sankera (Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala). We have tried calling his line, but the person who picks speaks another language. His capture is a tragedy because he was the backbone of security operations in Sankera,” the source said.

Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA, Justine Shaku, confirmed the incident in a post on his verified social media page. He disclosed that the operation was fiercely resisted by militias, Fulani marauders, and mercenaries allegedly brought in from a neighbouring state. According to him, more than 10 officers are still unaccounted for, while only two bodies have been recovered so far. He further revealed that two Hilux vans were burnt and several motorcycles carted away, but noted that reinforcements had already been deployed.

It was gathered that the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Innocent Ifeanyi Emenari, spent Saturday in Katsina-Ala personally coordinating recovery operations.

In a follow-up statement on Sunday, the Nigeria Police Force confirmed the arrest of six suspects linked to the ambush. Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the attack, which took place on Friday, September 19, 2025, claimed the lives of three police officers, while seven others remain missing.

“The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Innocent Ifeanyi Emenari, is currently leading the operation to rescue the missing officers and apprehend fleeing suspects. The arrested suspects are already assisting investigators with useful information,” Hundeyin said.

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has since condemned the attack, describing it as “cruel, unwarranted, and an affront on the good people of Benue State.” He directed the deployment of additional tactical assets to the state and assured that no effort would be spared in dismantling the criminal networks responsible for such assaults.

The Force further urged members of the public to remain calm, vigilant, and supportive of ongoing security operations, stressing that intensified efforts are underway to rescue the missing operatives and restore peace in Katsina-Ala and its environs.