Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
Prayer and Support for Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies (PSNAFSA) has mourned the killing of four policemen and seven other persons in an attack on Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Convener of PSNAFSA, Ambassador Mary Abayomi-Fatile, in a statement, commiserated with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the Nigeria Police Force and the families, colleagues and loved ones of the four officers killed in the line of duty, as well as the families of the other victims.
Abayomi-Fatile expressed deep sadness over reports that several other persons were injured while some remained unaccounted for following the attack, which occurred on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
She commended the police personnel and other security operatives who responded to the attack and stood firm in defence of the community despite the intensity and duration of the confrontation.
According to her, personnel of the Police Mobile Force, tactical teams and conventional police units deployed to the area engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle lasting about seven hours before successfully repelling the assault and forcing the attackers to retreat into the surrounding forest in the early hours of Friday, September 11.
Abayomi-Fatile said the four policemen who lost their lives had paid the ultimate price while protecting lives and defending the community, describing their deaths as a devastating loss to their families, colleagues, the Nigeria Police Force and the nation.
She said the incident further highlighted the enormous risks confronting personnel of the police, Armed Forces and other security agencies in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.
The PSNAFSA convener therefore called for sustained and improved support for security personnel deployed to vulnerable communities, particularly in intelligence gathering, operational equipment, logistics, communications and welfare.
She also urged the relevant authorities to intensify efforts to locate persons still unaccounted for, provide immediate and adequate medical attention to the injured and ensure that those responsible for the attack were identified and brought to justice.
Abayomi-Fatile stressed the need for stronger intelligence-gathering and early-warning mechanisms to enable security agencies to detect threats and respond promptly before attacks escalate.
She appealed to residents of vulnerable communities to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist in preventing attacks, rescuing victims and apprehending criminal elements.
According to her, supporting those who protect the nation remained a collective responsibility, warning that security personnel could not be expected to confront increasingly complex threats without the necessary institutional, operational and public support.
She urged Nigerians not to become desensitised to the sacrifices of security personnel who lose their lives while protecting others, noting that behind every fallen officer was a family that had to live with the consequences of that sacrifice.
Abayomi-Fatile prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of the deceased, comfort for their families and colleagues and speedy recovery for those injured.
She reaffirmed PSNAFSA’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies while promoting stronger public confidence and constructive partnerships between security personnel and the communities they serve.
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