Amid escalating violence and mass killings in Benue State, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has called for the immediate training of credible youths across the state to serve as vigilantes under military supervision, as part of efforts to protect local communities from terrorist attacks.
Musa made this proposal on Tuesday during a strategic meeting with traditional rulers in Makurdi, the state capital.
Naijaonpoint reports that Musa urged traditional rulers to take responsibility for exposing criminal elements within their domains, warning that the military would not tolerate acts of sabotage or internal compromise.
He revealed plans to overhaul the military’s operational strategy in Benue and neighbouring areas, stressing the importance of community collaboration in restoring peace.
The CDS and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday, toured the worst-hit communities and ordered an immediate review of security strategies. Commanders in neighbouring Nasarawa State were also directed to act decisively against any form of terror threat spilling into Benue.
Musa, while speaking during the meeting, said, “We are tired of innocent souls being killed, and we’re here to ensure that we address such. I’ll be going to see my commanders and we have to change our strategy.
“We’re going to look inward and see how we can address it, but as we mentioned, we cannot do it alone without the community, without the state.
“We need everybody to be part of it. We understand that even before now we used to have even within us people that compromise and give information because going around, you see the way some of the burnings were made, were targeted and which means they were insiders and so, I’ve discussed with the communities, the traditional rulers, with the clergy for us to work united.”