Security operatives have repelled suspected bandits who invaded Anwase village in Kwande Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, in north-central Nigeria.
The attack was confirmed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Udeme Edet, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, while responding to questions on Friday, 6 February 2026.
“It is true, there was attack on Anwase but our gallant officers repelled them and there was no casualty,” Edet said.
Residents and local sources said the suspected bandits entered the community around noon on Friday, 6 February 2026, and set several houses on fire.
A local source said some residents were reportedly injured during the invasion.
Okay News reports that Anwase is close to Abande village, which was attacked on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, with six people reported killed, including a mobile police officer attached to Nigeria’s Police Mobile Force, a unit often deployed for high-risk security operations.
A former councillor in the local government, Lawrence Akerigbe, said the quick response of security personnel helped to stop the situation from getting worse.
“The attack on Anwase happened at about noon on Friday, the invaders burnt down about 11 houses,” Akerigbe said.
“Some people were also injured during the attack but fortunately, security operatives that were deployed to Abande community that was attacked three days earlier were on patrol when they ran into the invaders,” he added.
“Immediately the bandits sighted the security men they fled, that was what saved the situation.”
The repeated attacks by bandits on communities in Benue State, especially in Kwande LGA, have raised concern among residents and local leaders about safety and response efforts.
Anwase was also attacked on Christmas Day in 2024, when over 28 people were reportedly killed.
Akerigbe also claimed that no fewer than 76 people have been killed in the past two years in Kwande LGA, with several communities facing repeated attacks.
Benue State has experienced different forms of armed violence in recent years, including raids on rural communities, which often leave residents calling for stronger security presence and better protection for farms and villages.
