Police repel attack by armed herdsmen in Benue, officer injured

By; Zagazola Makama

Tactical police teams on patrol in Benue have repelled an attack by suspected armed herdsmen in Adaka Village along Makurdi-Naka Road, during a gun duel that left one officer injured.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on June 21 at about 12:30 p.m. following intelligence reports on the movement of armed herders around Adaka Village and the areas behind Modern Market and Niongun, all within Makurdi metropolis.

According to the sources, the tactical teams, deployed from Daudu to Yelwata, swiftly responded and advanced to the identified hotspots.

“Upon arrival at Adaka along Makurdi–Naka Road, the team encountered heavily armed herders grazing freely on farmlands. On sighting the police team, the herders opened fire, prompting a gun duel,” he said noting that
the officers, however, repelled the attack with superior firepower.

During the exchange, one police officer, Inspector Ankyume Moses, attached to Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) Base 20 Abuja and currently on special duty in Daudu Division, sustained a bullet wound to his left leg.

He was immediately evacuated to the Police Clinic in Makurdi, where he is responding positively to treatment. An X-ray conducted confirmed that the bullet did not affect any bone.

The police said normalcy has been restored in the area, and further patrols have been intensified to prevent any resurgence of violence or attacks on farmlands and communities.

Police repel attack by armed herdsmen in Benue, officer injured

Ex-convict kills hunter commander in Benue, escapes with gunshot wounds

By: Zagazola Makama

An ex-convict identified as Saater (surname unknown), has allegedly shot and killed the commander of a local hunters group in Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of the state in Benue state.

Zagazola Makama gathered from Security sources that the incident occurred on June 20 at about 8:55 p.m. along Akume Road in Wannune.

The deceased, Aondoakaa Yayough, was the commander of the Wannune Hunters Group. He was reportedly gunned down by the suspect, who is said to have recently regained freedom after serving a prison sentence for the murder of Yayough’s wife in 2023.

According to the police, the deputy commander of the hunters group confronted the suspect during the attack and managed to disarm him after a brief struggle. The suspect, however, escaped with gunshot wounds, abandoning an AK-47 rifle and a magazine loaded with 25 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

Two other persons, Teryima Adue and Naregh Nanen, sustained gunshot injuries from stray bullets during the incident. They were rushed to St. Christopher Hospital in Wannune and are currently receiving treatment.

The corpse of the slain hunter commander has been deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Wannune for autopsy.

Police sources say the recovered rifle is in custody and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has commenced a discreet investigation to apprehend the fugitive suspect.

Ex-convict kills hunter commander in Benue, escapes with gunshot wounds

Female suicide bomber kills 24 in borno food joint attack in Konduga

By: Zagazola Makama

The Borno State Police Command has confirmed that at least 24 people were killed and several others injured in a suicide bombing carried out by a female terrorist in Konduga town, about 36 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Police sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on June 20, 2025, when the suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at a local food joint where residents had gathered in large numbers to buy food.

The Police sources said the explosion resulted in the fatal wounding of 24 persons, both male and female, while an unspecified number of others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The body of the suicide bomber was torn apart by the blast, with only the head recovered.

Following the incident, a joint team comprising Military and Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) units, Tactical Teams, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters visited the scene.

The area was cordoned off and thoroughly searched for other potential explosive devices, but none were found. Normalcy has since been restored to the area.

The injured victims were evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where they are receiving treatment, while the corpses of the deceased were also deposited at the same hospital. Medical personnel on duty certified the dead victims.

The police said efforts are ongoing to profile the victims and release the corpses to their families for burial in accordance with religious rites.

Security has been strengthened across Konduga to forestall further attacks.

Female suicide bomber kills 24 in borno food joint attack in Konduga