Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff Vows to Protect Benue Residents Amid Deadly Attacks

 The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has assured residents of Benue State of the Nigerian Armed Forces’ commitment to their safety following a wave of deadly attacks attributed to suspected armed herders. 

Speaking in Makurdi on Monday, General Musa called for collaboration between communities and security agencies to root out the perpetrators. “The Armed Forces stand with you. We will not rest until those responsible for these heinous acts are brought to justice,” he said.

The attacks, concentrated in rural areas such as Gwer West, Agatu, and Otukpo, have claimed over 100 lives since May 2025, according to local reports and security analysts. The violence has displaced thousands, exacerbating food insecurity as farmers abandon their fields. General Musa announced the immediate deployment of a special task force to patrol high-risk areas and the establishment of a joint military-police intelligence unit to track the attackers. He also appealed to residents to avoid reprisal attacks, warning that such actions could deepen ethnic tensions between the predominantly Christian Tiv and Idoma communities and Muslim Fulani herders.

Governor Hyacinth Alia, who accompanied the CDS, praised the military’s response but called for a national strategy to address herder-farmer conflicts, including enforcing anti-open grazing laws. Community leaders, however, expressed skepticism, citing past unfulfilled promises. “We need more than words. Our people are dying daily,” said Chief Joseph Anawa, a local elder. Protests erupted in Makurdi on Sunday, with residents demanding action, though police dispersed the crowd with tear gas, drawing criticism from human rights groups. 

President Bola Tinubu, in a statement, described the killings as “unacceptable” and ordered a comprehensive security review. Analysts suggest the violence stems from competition over land and water resources, compounded by the proliferation of small arms. The CDS’s visit signals a renewed federal focus, but lasting peace remains elusive.