Benue state: Troops received wrong info on herders’ movements —CDS
General Christopher Musa, the chief of defence staff, revealed yesterday that military troops were mobilised and deployed to the designated communities after receiving intelligence that more killer herders were en route to various communities in Benue State.
However, upon arriving at the designated communities, they discovered the intelligence was wrong and discovered the attack was taking place somewhere else.
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Additionally, he said, state informants gave the criminal elements lodging, food, and even women. The criminal elements then attacked the Yelewata community, killing at least 200 people.
This is coming after the Benue state governor applauded President Tinubu for giving directive that armed bandits in the state should be arrested and brought to book.
He said that the informants also disclosed details about the location and surroundings of the internally displaced people’s camp in Yelewata, where a high population density led to a high death toll.
According to the CDS, who addressed the media during a meeting at the DHQ in Abuja, the military machinery, which includes the Army, Navy, and Air Force, together with other security agencies, was out to catch the people responsible for the Yelewata attacks after Mr. President’s order to do so.
He pointed out that the police and other security forces fought valiantly and were able to neutralise some of the offenders.
The CDS said: “When troops received intelligence that bandits were on their way to attack some communities in the state in different locations, troops mobilized and deployed to the named communities but on getting there, discovered the intelligence was not factual, only to learn the attack was elsewhere
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“This is why we always say communities should provide us with information. See something and report to security agencies. The criminals were given accommodation in the community. They were given food to eat. They were even given women before the attacks, yet the security agencies were not informed.
“How did they know about the IDP Camp and the location in that community? They were teleguided by some persons in that community.”
The CDS urged the Federal Government to address the problem of Nigeria’s porous borders, stating that the current state of insecurity and the problems that are developing in the Sahel states—Sudan, Central African Republic, and Libya—present threats to Nigeria because terrorists, bandits, and arms dealers are trying to use Nigeria because they think it is wealthy and has a lot of resources.
The CDS conveyed the Nigerian Armed Forces’ condolences to the families and communities impacted by the recent wave of deadly attacks in Benue State.
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Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, promised that the military will do everything in its power to keep the Nigerian public informed about the accomplishments, operations, and sacrifices of the armed forces.
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