The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, have promised to end the ongoing killings in Benue State.
Musa spoke yesterday at Yelwata town, Guma Local Government Area of Benue, where scores were killed in coordinated attacks on Friday night.
The CDS said the Nigerian Armed Forces would leave no stone unturned to ensure that such devastating attacks were not recorded in the country again.
He also assured that wherever the attackers were, the forces would get them and neutralise them, adding that the Yelwata attack would be their last act.
Musa admitted that there were officers who compromised and gave out information but that such officers were no longer in service.
He said that there was evidence that the bandits had their targets, thereby establishing the fact that there were insiders that aided them.
“I’m going to see my commanders, and we have to change our strategy. We want to look inward and see how we can address this.
“We used to have even within us people that compromise and give information. Going around the scene, the way the killing and burnings were made show that they had insiders.
“I discussed with community leaders, traditional rulers and the clergy on the need for us to work in unity.
“There have been some issues of trust, and we are going to address it,” he said.
Musa said more deployments would be made, adding that he would embark on a similar visit to Nasarawa today.
The CDS condoled with the Benue Government, Gov. Hyacinth Alia, and all victims of banditry attacks, especially the people of Yelwata town, over their losses.
He advised them to remain strong and steadfast, as hope has already arrived.
The CDS, while in Yelwata, held a closed meeting with community leaders and stakeholders.
Musa inspected the scene of the crime and made a cash donation to the IDPs.
Also yesterday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, conveyed the Federal Government’s commitment to contain the killings in Benue State and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Speaking at a meeting with Governor Hyacinth Alia yesterday at the Government House in Makurdi, Egbetokun reiterated Tinubu’s worries over the killings in Benue, which also touches on the territorial sovereignty of the nation.
Also speaking during the visit of the IGP, Alia appreciated the President and the Nigerian security services for stepping up operations to contain the attacks.
He, however, lamented the surge of attacks on vulnerable communities and called for strategies that would keep Benue residents safe.
The IGP later left the government house for the scene of attacks in Yelewata to see things for himself and make an assessment of how to contain the crisis in Benue.