Former presidential aide and veteran journalist, Laolu Akande, has commended the recent decision of Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, to relocate to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, amid ongoing attacks on communities by armed herders and militia groups.
However, he insists the move must not be symbolic or short-lived, but instead lead to sustained military presence and concrete action to protect lives and restore order.
Speaking during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television breakfast show, on Thursday, Akande emphasized that while the Army Chief’s initiative to “go and see things for himself” in Benue is commendable, it must translate into effective, long-term interventions on the ground.
“So I like the fact it is reassuring that you have the Chief of Army Staff say that, look, I’m just going to go and see what is happening there,” said Akande.
Akande who also hosts the bi-weekly political affairs program Inside Sources with Laolu Akande. ““What we then hope will happen is that this won’t just be a touch and go situation. We hope that the Chief of Army Staff will ensure that there are enough people on the ground to prevent this recurring decimal of loss of life, of killings, of brutal and very despicable attacks on innocent communities. So we hope, you know, as some reports have suggested, that this is not just a visit and then comes back, you know, I don’t know.”
Akande lamented that entire communities have been under siege, with lives lost and lands taken over, leaving affected residents feeling abandoned and helpless.
He said, “A lot of the communities there speak about the fact that those killings actually has not stopped, you know, it may taper down and then come back. And many of them speak to the fact that the invaders, the intruders, whatever we call them, they have acquired a certain level of audacity that nobody can stop them and lives continue to be lost.
“People are being killed, land are being taken over. So it’s a very serious situation that is happening in Benue State, particularly on Plateau.
While praising the symbolic importance of the COAS’s presence in Makurdi, Akande warned against reducing it to a media event or ceremonial gesture.
He stressed that the lives of citizens in Benue and Plateau States are as valuable as those in any other part of the country, and urged the Nigerian military to treat the situation as a national security emergency. “So we hope there is a relocation and what that should mean is that the military, there’s going to be a serious attention paid to what is happening there because these are also Nigerians, these are citizens, they have a right to life. What is happening in Benue and Plateau is very, it must compel all of us to ensure that we stop it, you know. I mean, good news that the Chief of Staff felt that’s a very important thing to focus on.”
Akande further expressed hope that the relocation of the Army Chief would signal a shift in military engagement with the conflict-prone region, leading to renewed confidence among affected populations and a return to normalcy in their communities.
