Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has accused residents of Yelwata, Benue State, of sheltering and aiding gunmen behind a massacre that killed over 100 people.
“These criminals were given food, women, and even guided to the IDP camp by locals yet no tip-off reached security forces,” Musa said during a media briefing at Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, June 19.
He said troops were initially misled by faulty intelligence that diverted them from the actual target. “The attackers used a hit-and-run tactic, striking Yelwata while security focused elsewhere,” he added.
The Defence Chief confirmed that local informants helped the assailants identify the IDP camp, worsening the death toll.
President Bola Tinubu, during a condolence visit on June 18, had ordered security forces to hunt down those responsible. Musa vowed full deployment of national assets to ensure justice.
He also raised alarm over Nigeria’s porous borders, warning they are being exploited by foreign fighters and arms traffickers from Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic. “We must learn from nations like Pakistan that have secured their borders,” he said, calling for nationwide collaboration on security.
Meanwhile, giving an update on military operations, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Abu-Mawashi revealed that 6,260 terrorists and criminals were neutralized in joint operations over two years, with 14,138 arrests and 5,365 rescues.
Regional Breakdown:
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Niger Delta: ₦83bn in stolen crude recovered, 103 killed, 2,760 arrested.
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North East: 1,246 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters killed, 2,467 arrested, 1,920 civilians rescued.
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North West: 1,374 bandits killed, 2,160 arrested, 3,288 rescued.
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North Central: 730 terrorists killed, 7,153 arrested, 1,510 rescued.
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South East (Op Udoka): 440 killed, 1,677 arrested.
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South West: 80 killed, 1,763 arrested, 89 kidnap victims rescued.
Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau reaffirmed the military’s commitment to transparency, noting the Defence Chief’s push for a people-focused armed forces.
