Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has accused some residents of Benue State of aiding the armed criminals who carried out the recent massacre in the Yelwata community, where dozens were killed in a brutal assault.
Speaking on Thursday at a high-level media interaction held at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, General Musa revealed that the attackers were not only harboured by individuals in the community but were also given food, women, and crucial intelligence on the location of an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.
“These criminals were harboured by people in the community. They were given food. They were even given women. They were guided on where the IDP camp was located. Yet, security forces received no information,” he said.
Musa disclosed that although troops were mobilised based on intelligence reports of an imminent attack, the attackers used a hit-and-run tactic and struck a different location, catching both civilians and the military off guard.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu has since ordered a full-scale deployment of national security assets — including the Army, Navy, Air Force, police, and intelligence services — to track down and apprehend those behind the killings.
“This is why we consistently urge communities to be vigilant and report suspicious activities. Security is everyone’s responsibility,” Musa stressed.
The Defence Chief also warned that Nigeria’s porous borders remain a critical national security vulnerability, exacerbated by the instability in neighbouring countries such as Libya, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. He pointed to the unchecked flow of arms and militants into Nigeria and called for stronger border controls.
Citing Pakistan’s fortified double-wall border with Afghanistan as a potential model, Musa urged the federal government to consider more aggressive measures to secure Nigeria’s frontiers.
Offering condolences to victims of the recent atrocities in Yelwata and other conflict-ridden areas, the CDS described the violence as “senseless” and pledged unwavering commitment to peace and justice.
“These senseless killings weigh heavily on our hearts. We remain fully committed to ensuring justice and restoring peace to every part of Nigeria,” he said.
Musa concluded by calling for a “Whole-of-Society” approach to tackle insecurity, urging greater cooperation between the military, government institutions, and local communities.
