The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has made grave accusations against certain community members in Benue State, suggesting they acted as accomplices to the assailants responsible for the tragic killings in the Yelwata community. This assertion was made during an extensive media briefing held on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. General Musa claimed that some local informants played a crucial role in facilitating the heinous acts by providing logistical support to the bandits and terrorists involved in the recent attacks. He alleged that these informants offered them shelter, food, and even women, effectively aiding the attackers in their devastating mission.
Furthermore, he indicated that these individuals guided the assailants to the locations of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp within Yelwata, allowing them to target the most vulnerable residents. In his address, General Musa unveiled that the military had received intelligence regarding potential assaults in various communities across Benue State.
The troops were promptly mobilized to preemptively address these threats; however, upon reaching the designated areas, the information turned out to be erroneous. In a distressing turn of events, it was revealed that the actual attack had already been executed in Yelwata using a hit-and-run strategy by the attackers, leaving the military forces unprepared to intervene in time.
“These criminals were not just passing through; they were harboured by individuals in the community, who provided them with food and shelter,” General Musa lamented. “They were even guided on the location of the IDP camp. Despite this, our security forces received no actionable intelligence to prevent these tragic outcomes.”
In response to this alarming situation, General Musa highlighted that President Bola Tinubu had issued a directive to mobilize the full spectrum of national security forces including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and various intelligence agencies to actively pursue the perpetrators of these violent acts and ensure they are held accountable for their crimes. The operation aims to enhance security and restore peace in the affected communities of Benue State, which have been living in constant fear due to the escalating violence.
The Naija Lowdown Writer 