From Joseph Uchenna, Makurdi
Gunmen, suspected to be militiamen on Saturday killed two security personnel in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state.
The incident is happening barely four days after suspected assailants killed five persons at Udeku community in Kwande LGA.
Our correspondent gathered that the two officers; one, an Aircraft Man and a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) were all part of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, deployed to keep peace in the area.
Locals said that the security personnel went out and were heading back when the armed men ambushed them and killed two of them on the spot.
“They were on a bike. They went to Adikpo town and were coming back when the gunmen ambushed and killed them”, a resident who didn’t want to be named disclosed.
A community leader at Jato Aka, Mr Lawrence Akerigba, in a message confirmed the incident saying “Yesterday 10/01/2026 at about 4:26pm another tragedy stroke in Turan, Kwande local government when security officers stationed at Anwase were killed at Udeku, same place five people were killed four days ago.
“The attackers who came in large numbers operated unchallenged burning houses, destroying farms and economic trees. They blocked the road when the same officers stationed at Anwase who went to Aga market to fill their gas cylinder and on their way back, ran into the killers who shot on sight.”
The community leader who lamented over the continued killing of his people, cried out saying “Our people are exposed to danger. Jato Aka town that is housing five council wards have been taken over by the herders. The place is no longer safe. There is fear of the unknown. People are already packing out, some don’t even know where to go.
As of the thine of filing this report, there was no official statement from the OPWS but a reliable military source confirmed the incident.
The Public Relations Officer, PRO NSCDC, Michael Ejelikwu aso confirmed the killing. He said “Yes unfortunately I can confirm to you that at about 1500 hours, on Saturday, 10th January, 2026, militiamen attacked three security personnel attached to Operations Whirl Stroke, killing two (2) of them.
“The unfortunate incident happened at Udeku, Maav-ya, Mbakyor Council Ward of Kwande LGA. The NSCDC Personnel killed in the incident is CCA Tijani Idris S/NO: 76691, from Kaduna State Command but seconded to Operations Whirl Stroke Joint Taskforce.”
Ejelikwu, who extended condolences to the immediate family of the deceased, described the incident as “unfortunate and a hazard of our calling.”
He stated that the NSCDC remains determined and committed in confronting insecurity in whatever form.
