By Ekani Olikita
(Makurdi), Nigeria — Two newly deployed Nigerian police officers were killed Monday when armed Islamic Fulani Ethnic Militia (IFEM) ambushed a Police Divisional Commander’s convoy in Nigeria Central Benue State.
The killings brought to six the number of police officers killed in the Ayilamo community in four days.
The attack was launched at 6 p.m., Monday, September 14, 2026 as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ayilamo was returning from Makurdi, the state capital, to his duty post in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area (County).
The two victims were identified by local sources as Inspector Gabriel Ishaya and Inspector Obidah Lukiyus. They were reportedly among Mobile Police officers recently deployed to reinforce security in the community.
The latest ambush came only four days after the Fulani militia attack on Ayilamo that killed four Mobile Police officers and seven Christian residents, according to police.
Ayilamo, with a population of 10,000, is 112 miles northeast of Makurdi and a predominantly Christian farming community (98 percent Christian). Tiv is the largest Ethnic group in Benue State. The community has been under regular attacks by Islamic Fulani Ethnic Militia (IFEM), as well as Tiv armed gangs and Jukun tribal armed gangs from neighboring Wukari county in Taraba State since 2013.
Attackers Opened Fire on Police Convoy: Eyewitness
Donald Msughter, an Ayilamo resident who said he witnessed Monday’s ambush, told TruthNigeria that he heard gunfire from both sides of the road before taking cover in an unfinished building.
“I saw about 10 well-armed Fulani militia, speaking Fufulde, chanting Allahu Akbar, shooting at two police vans which I later discovered were part of the DPO’s convoy,” he said.
Msughter said he later saw two bodies wearing Mobile Police uniforms.
“More Mobile policemen were deployed to our community a few days ago after the earlier attack in which four Mobile Policemen and seven of our people were killed. The two victims were part of the newly deployed officers,” Msughter told TruthNigeria
Residents Blame Security Failures
Residents said Ayilamo has multiple security formations, including a military Forward Operating Base under Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), a Divisional Police Headquarters, Operation Zenda and Mobile Police units.
Joshua Aondohemba, an Ayilamo resident, alleged that rivalry between security agencies has weakened the community’s protection.
He claimed residents had greater confidence in the police than the military, while alleging that disagreements over the deployment and operational roles of different security units had contributed to the area’s vulnerability.
“The military and the Police in our community have refused to work together due to envy and conflict over operational roles,” Aondohemba told TruthNigeria
Another resident, Dorcas Agbako, accused some military personnel of failing to prevent armed Fulani terrorists from approaching Ayilamo from neighboring Taraba State, accusing them of malfeasance.
Police Confirm Killings
Benue Police Spokesman DSP Peter Aondongu confirmed that the DPO’s convoy had been ambushed and that two officers were killed.
“Yes, the convoy of the Ayilamo DPO was ambushed, and two of our men were killed while returning to Ayilamo from Makurdi,” Aondongu told TruthNigeria.
He said additional police personnel had been deployed to the community.
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has confirmed the arrest of three Fulani militia, Idris Jibril, Usman Muhammad and Isah Ibrahim in connection with the Ayilamo attacks.
Disputed Arrest of Jukun Tribesmen
Logo County Chairman Clement Kav also said six young men of the Jukun Ethnic tribe wearing Arsenal jerseys were arrested on Wednesday by the military along the Arufu-Akwana road near Ayilamo and accused of being members of a Jukun militia.
“They were caught by the military with weapons,” Kav told TruthNigeria
However, TruthNigeria’s investigation indicated that the six men could be local football players traveling to a match. Their status and the circumstances surrounding the arrests had not been independently established.
Police Losses Expose Wider Security Gap
Security analyst Christopher Ayati, Director of Information with the Benue State Government, said the killings point to broader problems in intelligence, rapid response and coordination among security agencies.
“The repeated attacks and the killing of police personnel show that armed groups are exploiting gaps in intelligence, inter-agency coordination and rapid response,” Ayati told TruthNigeria. “Protecting vulnerable communities requires more than deploying personnel; security agencies must share intelligence, respond quickly and hold perpetrators accountable”, Ayati told TruthNigeria
The assessment comes as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom continues to document violence by armed militia from a Fulani ethnic Group. USCIRF’s 2026 report says armed Fulani Militia have contributed to attacks affecting Christians
Why It Matters to Washington
The Ayilamo killings matter to Washington because they illustrate how terrorism affects religious freedom, police capacity and regional stability.
The deaths of six police officers in four days also raise questions about the ability of Nigeria’s security institutions to protect both civilians and personnel deployed to vulnerable rural communities.
Ekani Olikita is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
