Ebun Francis || Four police officers have been reported missing following an ambush by men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in Tse Akpam village, near Azege town, Logo Local government Area of Benue State on Saturday.
The men were returning from a confidence-building mission in remote villages when suspected herdsmen opened fire on their patrol team.
Benue state police commissioner Fatai Owoseni while confirming the attack and the missing officers said officers have been dispatched to the area to look for the missing men.
According to Owoseni, the attackers burnt a police van and four officers could not be found as at 7:20 p.m. Saturday.
Owoseni said, “We had had an encounter around Azege when a team of mobile police went on confidence patrol.”
“When they were coming back at a point in Azege, they started hearing gunfire from inside the bush suspected to be from the herdsmen.There was a serious exchange of gunfire.”
“One of our vehicles was set ablaze. So far, on their side, we’re still trying to ascertain casualties; while we’re yet to see four of our men.”
“People are saying police are not working, but going on confidence-building patrol is being proactive.”
“If we didn’t go on patrol, how would we have suffered this attack?”
Oweseni retierated the fact that Azege and its environs are safe, urging the residents to believe in the ability of police to return peace to the entire state.
“We will not relent, we’ll continue to take the fight to them and give assurances to the people that we won’t wait until they come and attack them,” he said.
Saturday’s attack on the police patrol team comes a day after three persons were killed in a similar incident on villages in the same local government area.