A joint security operation in Benue State turned deadly on Friday, September 19, 2025, when suspected armed herdsmen backed by local militia gangs ambushed security personnel at Agu Centre, a rural settlement in Mbatyula/Mberev Council Ward, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area.
Initial reports indicated that at least 16 operatives were feared dead and several others missing after the surprise attack. The security convoy was overwhelmed, with trucks set ablaze and motorcycles seized by the assailants. Survivors sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Among the casualties were operatives of Operation Anyam Nyor, a Benue State–established joint task force comprising police officers and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG).
According to local accounts, over 90 security personnel, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Danlami Usman, popularly known as Dan Zuru, had advanced into the area for a clearance operation against armed herdsmen when they drove into a well-coordinated ambush between Tse Agbami and Agu Centre, near the Katsina-Ala/Ukum border.
A source described the ambush as overwhelming:
“The armed herdsmen joined forces with known militia gangs, numbering close to 1,000. In the exchange of gunfire, over 16 officers were killed. Several were captured, including ASP Dan Zuru, who had been leading security operations in Sankera. His capture is a major setback because he was the backbone of the fight against herdsmen and bandits in the region.”
Katsina-Ala Local Government Chairman, Justine Shaku, confirmed the incident on his verified social media page, stating that the operation encountered stiff resistance from local militias, Fulani marauders, and mercenaries allegedly brought in from a neighboring state. He reported that more than 10 officers were still missing, two bodies had been recovered, two Hilux patrol vans were burnt, and motorcycles were carted away.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Innocent Ifeanyi Emenari, spent Saturday in Katsina-Ala, personally supervising recovery and reinforcement efforts.
By Sunday, the Nigeria Police Force provided an update. Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that three police officers were killed, while seven others remain unaccounted for. He also disclosed that a special tactical team had arrested six suspects linked to the ambush, who are already providing investigators with vital information.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, condemned the attack, describing it as “cruel, unwarranted, and an affront to the people of Benue State.” He ordered the deployment of additional tactical assets to the state and vowed that the criminal networks behind the assault would be dismantled.
The police urged residents to remain calm and vigilant, assuring that rescue operations for missing officers are ongoing and that peace will be restored in Katsina-Ala and surrounding communities.
