The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has accused some residents of Benue State of aiding the armed men who recently carried out a deadly attack on Yelwata community, which left dozens of people dead, including internally displaced persons.
Speaking during a media briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, General Musa revealed that the attackers were sheltered, fed, and even offered women by members of the local community. He said these individuals also helped the criminals locate the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Yelwata, where many were killed.
“These criminals were harboured by people in the community. They were given food, women, and information on the IDP camp. Yet, security forces received no alert,” he said.
The CDS explained that the military had acted on prior intelligence and deployed troops to several communities in Benue to prevent attacks. However, the attackers used false information and carried out a hit-and-run strike in Yelwata, catching the security forces off guard.
President Bola Tinubu, according to General Musa, has ordered the full mobilisation of all security agencies — Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and intelligence services — to find and punish those responsible for the killings.
General Musa also called on Nigerians to be more alert and report suspicious activities, stressing that “security is everyone’s responsibility.”
He warned that Nigeria’s porous borders are worsening the nation’s insecurity, allowing the inflow of arms and fighters from troubled countries like Libya, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. He urged the Federal Government to take urgent action, citing Pakistan’s example of building a secure border wall.
Offering condolences to victims’ families, Musa said the military is determined to bring justice and peace to affected communities.
Also at the briefing, Deputy Director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Abu-Mawashi, presented figures from military operations in the past two years:
-6,260 terrorists and criminals killed
-14,138 arrested
-5,365 civilians rescued
-North-East: 1,246 terrorists killed, 2,467 arrested, 1,920 civilians rescued
-North-West: 1,374 bandits killed, 2,160 arrested, 3,288 hostages rescued
-North-Central: 730 terrorists killed, 7,153 arrested, 1,510 civilians rescued
-Niger Delta: ₦83 billion worth of stolen crude recovered
-South-East (Operation Udoka): 440 terrorists killed, 1,677 arrested
-South-West: 80 criminals killed, 1,763 arrested
The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, said the military remains committed to transparency and public engagement under General Musa’s “people-first” leadership style.
He urged
Nigerians to support the Armed Forces in securing the country, noting that soldiers are not just fighters, but “partners in national progress.”
