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In yet another deadly strike in the volatile Kwande axis of Benue State, suspected gunmen on Saturday ambushed and killed two security operatives attached to Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), barely four days after five civilians were massacred in the nearby Udeku community.
The slain personnel were identified as a member of the Nigerian Air Force and an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Both were part of the joint security team deployed under OPWS to curb incessant attacks and restore peace in one of the state’s most troubled regions.
According to credible sources who spoke to Benue Info-pedia on condition of anonymity, the officers were returning from Adikpo town on a motorcycle when they rode into an ambush. Armed men, suspected to be militiamen, opened fire at close range, killing the two operatives instantly.
“They went to Adikpo and were on their way back when the gunmen ambushed them and opened fire,” a resident recounted, describing the attack as sudden and lethal.
The incident has heightened fears across Kwande Local Government Area, coming so soon after the brutal killing of five persons in Udeku community last Tuesday. That earlier attack further deepened the sense of insecurity in communities already reeling from repeated farmer-herder clashes and banditry.
Operation Whirl Stroke, a joint military task force established to tackle armed violence, kidnapping, and communal conflicts in Benue and neighboring states, has maintained a visible presence in the region. However, Saturday’s ambush underscores the persistent danger faced even by heavily armed security teams operating in the area.
As of the time of this report, neither the Nigerian Air Force, the NSCDC, nor the Benue State Police Command has released an official statement confirming the killings or detailing any follow-up operations. Residents say the latest attack has intensified calls for stronger reinforcement, better intelligence, and more aggressive measures to neutralize the armed groups responsible for the escalating violence.
Kwande LGA continues to rank among the most affected local government areas in Benue State, with communities living under constant threat of raids, ambushes, and reprisals. The back-to-back incidents have renewed urgent appeals from locals for decisive federal and state intervention to halt the bloodshed and allow normal life and farming activities to resume.
Further developments are awaited as security agencies are expected to respond to the brazen killing of their personnel in the line of duty.
