THE Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has assured residents of Benue State of the Armed Forces’ full support in addressing the surge in deadly attacks plaguing the region.
Speaking in Makurdi during a meeting with traditional rulers, General Musa called for cooperation among stakeholders to curb the violence.
“The Armed Forces are with you. We are deeply pained by the killings. This is personal to me. I can’t lead the military while our people are being killed,” he stated.
General Musa emphasized the military’s commitment to peace within Nigeria, noting the irony of successfully restoring peace in foreign nations like Liberia and Sierra Leone, yet facing persistent insecurity at home.
He vowed to hold any member of the Armed Forces accountable for misconduct and urged local collaboration to combat the crisis.
Drawing from his personal experience in Zango Kataf, Kaduna State—where community engagement led to restored peace—he expressed confidence that similar strategies could work in Benue.
“In Zango Kataf, we learned that unity is essential. A divided house cannot stand. Only together can we confront our common enemy,” he added.
In response to recent attacks that have claimed scores of lives and displaced many, General Musa directed military commanders to locate and neutralize the assailants.
“We know the areas where they’re hiding. We will not wait for them to strike again. We’re going after them,” he declared.
Amid national outrage and mounting pressure, President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to visit Benue State tomorrow.
Ahead of the visit, he has deployed top security and political officials—including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, intelligence chiefs, the National Security Adviser, and defence committee chairpersons from the National Assembly—to the state.
According to a statement by Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga, the President will hold a town hall meeting with stakeholders during the visit and has extended his condolences to the victims and their families.
The recent spike in violence in the North-Central region has intensified calls for urgent security intervention, with the Armed Forces reaffirming their commitment to restoring peace and protecting all Nigerians.