General Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, has alleged that the attackers behind the recent Yelwata killings in Benue State were not only hidden by locals but were also supplied with food and offered female companions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Benue Massacre: Defence Chief Alleges Community Complicity, Vows Justice

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has made a startling revelation that residents of Yelwata in Benue State allegedly provided shelter, food, and even women to the perpetrators of the recent massacre that claimed over 100 lives in the community.

General Musa made this known during an expanded media interaction held yesterday at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. The disclosure follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent condolence visit to Benue, during which he directed security forces to track down and bring the attackers to justice.

False Intelligence and Hit-and-Run Tactics

According to the CDS, troops were initially deployed based on intelligence warning of attacks in various Benue communities. However, those alerts turned out to be misleading, allowing the actual assault on Yelwata to be executed using a “hit-and-run” tactic.

Musa revealed that local informants aided the attackers in locating the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Yelwata, leading to the high number of casualties.

“These criminals were harboured by people in the community. They were provided with food, given women, and guided to the IDP camp — yet no information was relayed to the security forces,” he said. “This underscores the importance of vigilance and community cooperation. Security is a collective responsibility.”

He reiterated that President Tinubu has ordered the full mobilisation of national security apparatuses to ensure the perpetrators face justice.

Border Security and Sahel Threats

General Musa also highlighted Nigeria’s porous borders as a growing threat amid rising instability in the Sahel region. He noted that fighters and arms from conflict-ridden countries such as Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic are increasingly penetrating Nigerian territory.

Citing Pakistan’s successful double-border wall with Afghanistan as a model, he stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to strengthen its border security infrastructure. According to him, overcoming the country’s security challenges will require a “whole-of-society” approach involving the military, civilians, and institutions alike.

Military Operations: 6,260 Terrorists Neutralised in Two Years – DHQ

During the session, Deputy Director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Abu-Mawashi, reported that joint military operations across the country have resulted in the neutralisation of 6,260 terrorists and criminals over the past two years.

He disclosed that 14,138 suspects were arrested, and 5,365 civilians rescued. The operations also led to the recovery of thousands of weapons and rounds of ammunition.

Regional Breakdown of Military Successes:

• Niger Delta: ₦83 billion worth of stolen crude recovered, 103 criminals killed, 2,760 arrested.

• North-East: 1,246 Boko Haram/ISWAP 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.

• South-East (Operation Udoka): 440 terrorists killed, 1,677 arrested.

• South-West: 80 criminals killed, 1,763 arrested, 89 kidnapped victims rescued.

Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, reiterated the military’s commitment to transparency and public engagement, emphasizing that the armed forces remain focused on a “people-centered” strategy.

Bridging Civil-Military Trust Deficit

Earlier, during the maiden Civil-Military Relations Conference hosted by the Defence Headquarters, General Musa acknowledged a long-standing trust gap between the military and the civilian population.

He lamented that the Armed Forces are often perceived as “an occupying force,” especially during national emergencies, which undermines collaboration and effectiveness.

“The military must be seen not as a force apart, but as partners in peace and development,” he said.

Information Minister: Armed Forces Belong to the People

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the conference, echoed similar sentiments. He stated that the military is not a detached institution but a national body funded, owned, and mandated by Nigerians through the federal government.

“The perception of the Armed Forces as brutal or aggressive, whether due to history, misinformation, or isolated incidents, threatens national unity and stability,” Idris said, through his representative, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa.

“It’s time Nigerians reclaim ownership of their military and see it as a force for good, for protection, and for national progress,” he added.

The minister called on the media and stakeholders to help reshape the public narrative by promoting the military’s positive contributions and supporting community-military cooperation.

NAF Destroys Terrorists’ Bomb Factory in Borno

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reported a successful airstrike in Borno State, targeting and destroying a factory where terrorists were producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

According to NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the strike was executed under Operation Hadin Kai following surveillance confirmation of the facility’s existence in Kwaltiri, within the Tumbuktu Triangle.

“The precision strikes disrupted the terrorists’ logistics and command systems, dealing a serious blow to their morale and operational capabilities,” Ejodame said.

Benue Killings Must Be Declared Terrorism – Analyst

In a related development, legal and security expert Bulama Bukarti has called on the Federal Government to officially classify the Benue killings as acts of terrorism.

Speaking on Channels Television, Bukarti argued that downplaying such attacks as “communal clashes” is misleading and dangerous.

“What we are witnessing in Benue today is terrorism. It looks like terrorism, talks like terrorism, and kills like terrorism. It must be treated as such,” he insisted.