Four police officers were reportedly killed on Sunday in Udei community following an attack by suspected herdsmen.
According to a local source who spoke to Channels Television’s correspondent, the officers had responded to a distress call from the community.
Upon arrival, the policemen instructed the youths to stand down, as no immediate signs of an attack were evident.
However, after firing warning shots into the air, they were ambushed by the suspected herdsmen, who had been lying in wait to attack the community. Four officers were feared killed on the spot.
“At about 3 pm, when the mobile police personnel arrived in response to our distress call, we told them the armed herdsmen were lurking at Udei community but they didn’t believe us and asked us to pull back,” the source stated.
“The police fired warning shots into the air, and immediately the herdsmen opened fire, killing four policemen on the spot.”
The attack triggered widespread panic, prompting residents to flee Udei, a village located just a few kilometers from Yelwata, where suspected herdsmen had killed numerous villagers on June 13, 2025.
Amid intense gunfire between the joint security forces, led by the Army, and the attackers, some residents of the Ortese community and neighboring Daudu community abandoned their homes, seeking safety along the roads.
As of the time of this report, no official statement has been issued by the police, despite 24 hours passing since inquiries were made to the state command spokesperson, Udeme Edet.