Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has raised serious concerns about the role of insiders in the ongoing attacks in Benue State.
During a visit on Monday to Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area—where at least 100 people were killed over the weekend—General Musa said there is growing suspicion that some individuals within the affected communities are secretly helping the attackers.
He visited the area to assess the situation firsthand and to sympathize with Governor Hyacinth Alia and residents of the state. Speaking at the scene, General Musa noted that the nature of the attacks suggests that the killers may be receiving inside help.
“In my estimation, it is one killing too many. We have observed that the way some of the burnings were carried out shows they were targeted. It indicates the presence of insiders compromising security efforts,” he said.
He pointed out that in order to bring lasting peace to the area, local residents must be involved in the fight against violence. The Defence Chief stated that the military cannot win this battle alone and would now focus on changing its tactics to include more input from people living in the affected areas.
“We are going to change our strategies to look inwards. But we cannot do it alone. We need the communities to be part of this effort,” he said.
He also noted that talks with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and local residents had already begun to rebuild trust. According to him, any issues of mistrust will be dealt with quickly.
“There may be issues of trust and we are going to address them. We want this to be the last attack of this nature. We will go all out to ensure peace is restored,” he added.
General Musa mentioned that the same security plans being used in other parts of the country would now be used in Benue as well. He announced plans to visit Nasarawa State next in order to improve border security and stop attackers from moving freely across state lines.
“We always receive information that these attackers are coming from across the borders. Wherever they are coming from, we will go after them. We must not wait for them to strike first,” he said.
He also urged Nigerian youths not to lose hope, stressing the importance of protecting the nation from further violence.
“This is our country. We can never give up our country for anything. And this madness must stop,” the CDS said.
Reacting to the visit, Guma Local Government Chairman, Maurice Orwough, said the presence of the Defence Chief gave new hope to residents.
“The visit of the Chief of Defence Staff gives our people in Guma LGA a sense of hope. It shows that the Nigerian government is genuinely concerned about the situation in Benue State. This visit allows us to provide him with first-hand information about what is happening here and what we need,” Orwough said.
He also noted that the quick response from authorities has helped rebuild trust between the government and the people.
“The quick response from the authorities gives our people some confidence that the government is paying attention. It is a sign of hope for us,” he added.
