The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has alleged that some residents of Benue State played a role in aiding the armed assailants behind the recent massacre in Yelwata community, which left dozens dead.
Speaking during a media briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, General Musa revealed that certain individuals within the community provided the attackers with shelter, food, and even women.
He further disclosed that local informants reportedly guided the assailants to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, contributing to the high number of casualties.
“These criminals were harboured by people in the community.
They were given food, given women, and directed to the IDP camp — yet no one reported any of this to security forces,” he stated.
General Musa noted that although the military had received prior intelligence on potential threats across parts of Benue State and had deployed personnel accordingly, the attackers used deceptive strategies to evade detection.
In the aftermath of the killings, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the deployment of the full spectrum of national security forces — including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and intelligence agencies — to track down those responsible for the violence.
The Defence Chief emphasized the need for stronger public collaboration with security agencies, reminding citizens that national security is a shared responsibility.
He also called on the Federal Government to urgently enhance control over Nigeria’s porous borders, warning of the steady inflow of arms and fighters from conflict-ridden countries such as Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic.
General Musa cautioned that the worsening instability in the Sahel region poses a growing threat to Nigeria’s internal security through unguarded entry points.