TD At least 11 people, including four Mobile Police officers and seven civilians, have been killed in a fresh attack on Ayilamo community in Tombo Ward, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, as renewed questions emerge over the state’s worsening security situation.
The attack reportedly began on Thursday night, September 10, 2026, and continued into the early hours of Friday, September 11.
Residents reported that a large group of armed assailants invaded the community.
Local sources cited by Nigerian media said the attackers numbered about 200 and were heavily armed.
Residents alleged that the assailants entered the area through Alufu Road from neighbouring Taraba State before opening fire and setting houses ablaze.
The attackers reportedly engaged a detachment of Mobile Police officers deployed to the community in a prolonged gun battle before retreating into surrounding forests.
The Benue State Police Command subsequently confirmed that four police officers and seven civilians were killed in the attack.
Four Police Officers Killed
The slain officers were identified as:
- ASP Paul Ina
- Inspector Mohammed Yusuf
- Inspector Oge Ikechukwu
- Inspector Edeh Andrew
Community sources also reported the deaths of several civilians, including community elders and two children.
The Police Command said additional tactical teams had been deployed to the area following the attack.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the security situation in Logo and other parts of Benue State, where communities have faced repeated attacks and displacement.
Attack Comes Amid Wider Benue Security Crisis
The Ayilamo killings come against the backdrop of a broader humanitarian crisis in Benue.
Amnesty International reported in July 2025 that at least 510,182 internally displaced people were living in Benue after years of attacks by armed groups.
The organisation said more than 500,000 people had been displaced across the state and warned that Benue was facing a humanitarian catastrophe.
It also reported that communities in Logo, Guma, Gwer West, Gwer-East, Agatu, Apa, Ukum and Kwande had continued to experience attacks.
The organisation’s report followed the deadly June 2025 attack on Yelwata, in which Amnesty initially reported that more than 100 people were killed.
Fresh Controversy Over Alia’s ‘Governor of the Year’ Nomination
The latest killings have also intensified debate over the decision by The Sun Newspapers to nominate Governor Hyacinth Alia for its 2026 Governor of the Year Award.
The newspaper’s Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Onuoha Ukeh, presented the nomination letter to Alia at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi on Thursday.
According to The Sun, the nomination was based on what it described as the governor’s achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, industrial development and workers’ welfare.
The newspaper specifically cited:
- the transformation of Makurdi,
- improvements at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital,
- expansion of primary healthcare centres,
- the establishment of Food Basket Breweries, and,
- Bensono Fruit Juice Factory, and the revival of Taraku Mills.
Alia welcomed the nomination, saying his administration’s achievements should serve as his “siren” rather than the sound of official convoys.
He listed roads, job creation, hospitals, schools, primary healthcare centres, revived industries and improved welfare for workers and pensioners among the achievements he believes should speak for his administration.
Critics Question Award Amid Mass Displacement
The nomination has nevertheless triggered criticism, particularly because it coincides with continuing attacks and displacement across the state.
Activist and commentator Preach Ojukwu questioned how Alia could be considered for a Governor of the Year award while Benue continues to grapple with a large internally displaced population and recurring attacks.
Ojukwu cited Amnesty International’s figure of 510,182 displaced people and argued that security should form a significant part of any assessment of a governor’s performance.
He also questioned what methodology was used to select Alia and called for the publication of the criteria, scores and comparative assessment used in reaching the decision.
Among the questions raised were how much weight was given to security, displacement and protection of lives, and how Alia’s performance compared with those of other state governors.
‘The Dead Cannot Clap’
Ojukwu argued that an award to a serving political leader by a major media organisation inevitably carries editorial significance and therefore should be supported by transparent and measurable criteria.
He said the issue was larger than Governor Alia and warned against what he described as journalism becoming a platform for public relations rather than rigorous accountability.
“510,182 displaced people cannot live inside an award plaque. The dead cannot clap,” Ojukwu wrote.
The criticism, however, does not negate the development projects cited by The Sun as the basis for Alia’s nomination.
Rather, it raises the question of how infrastructure and economic-development achievements should be weighed against security and humanitarian outcomes when assessing a governor’s overall performance.
Security Remains Central Test for Alia
The Ayilamo attack has once again placed security at the centre of the political debate surrounding the Alia administration.
The Benue government has continued to highlight infrastructure, healthcare, industrial revival and other development initiatives.
However, residents of affected communities continue to demand greater protection against armed attacks.
The latest deaths also highlight the risks faced by security personnel deployed to vulnerable communities.
Benue continues to confront attacks, displacement and the destruction of communities.
Mdeanwhile, the central question facing Governor Alia’s administration remains whether improvements in infrastructure and public services can be matched by sustained progress in protecting the lives and homes of the state’s residents.
For now, 11 more families are mourning.
Four police officers have been killed in the line of duty, and another Benue community has been left confronting the consequences of deadly violence.
