2 Police Officers, 4 Residents Killed In Taraba Community

Two police officers and four residents have been reportedly killed following a fierce gun battle between suspected armed herders and a combined team of security operatives in Tor-Damisa community, Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The confrontation, which reportedly lasted for several hours, also left a number of persons injured, with some said to have sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Sources told LEADERSHIP that the incident began at about 1pm on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, and continued until around 5:30 pm.

A community source, who survived the incident, disclosed that suspected herders invaded the area in large numbers, which prompted the deployment of a joint team of police and military personnel to repel the attackers, but to no avail.

“In the course of the operation, two policemen were shot dead, alongside four residents, while several others were injured.

“The attackers fled after security operatives withdrew to seek reinforcement from 93 battalions, the source said.

The incident has heightened tension in Tor-Damisa, with residents expressing fear over renewed insecurity in the area, following recent visits by Governor Hycienth Alia of Benue State and Governor Agbu Kefas.

Witnesses said sporadic gunfire forced many villagers to flee their homes as panic spread across the Tor-Damisa community and beyond.

The identities of the slain officers had yet to be officially confirmed as of the time of press, while efforts to reach the Taraba State Police Command for an official response were unsuccessful, nor did the PPRO respond to the calls on his phone.

An independent source from the security revealed that additional personnel had been deployed to restore calm and track down the perpetrators.

Local sources alleged that the attackers escaped immediately after the clash, which raised fresh and serious concerns about the security situation in southern Taraba.

A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, called on the state government to establish a military base in the area to prevent further attacks.