The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has vowed that the Nigerian Army will track down and bring to justice all those responsible for the recent spate of killings and attacks in Benue, Plateau, and other parts of the North-Central region.
Oluyede, who gave this assurance during a media chat organized by the Nigerian Army in Akure, the Ondo State capital, expressed optimism that the perpetrators would be arrested, saying, “We shall go after them, and by God’s grace, we will get them.”
Represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Onubogu, he emphasized the military’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity.
Speaking on the theme, “Military-Media Collaboration: Panacea for Enhanced National Security and Development,” the COAS said the media chat aimed to foster better synergy between the armed forces and the media in the collective pursuit of national stability.
According to him, the military remains steadfast in its operations and will not allow Nigeria’s internal security to be undermined by criminal elements, assuring Nigerians of continued efforts to restore peace and security.
Speaking on the violence in Benue and Plateau states, he said: “The Nigerian Army has remained engaged in Plateau, Benue, Kwara — in quite a number of states experiencing insecurity. In Benue particularly, you will see, in the coming weeks, very elaborate security arrangements to ensure that all that is going on there completely stops.”
He noted that while some of the attacks have been attributed to herders, there is growing concern that some perpetrators may be foreigners.
“We are mindful that some of these people may be foreign elements. The behavior we are seeing is utterly despicable — the way they go about their work does not reflect any kind of national identity or value system. So, we will be there. But what we can assure is that whatever it takes, we shall ensure that these activities, particularly in North-Central Nigeria, are brought to an end.”
“In Benue, you will see in the coming weeks very elaborate security arrangements to ensure that all that is going on there completely stops. There are other things going on in the background to ensure that this does not occur again. I think the President’s speech made that very clear, particularly in his message to His Excellency, the Governor of Benue State, and others in that realm,” he added.
Oluyede disclosed that the military has received clear directives from President Bola Tinubu to act decisively and appealed to communities and local stakeholders to support military operations by sharing timely intelligence.
“The President has given very clear orders for us to go out there. And so, we are out — fully deployed — and tackling the menace head-on.”
“The Army cannot be everywhere at once. Nigeria is a vast country, and we are not as large in number as many people believe. We rely heavily on the support and cooperation of the local population to provide timely and credible information.”
“In some cases, unfortunately, the people are not very helpful in terms of the information they give out, which delays our reaction time. That must change if we are to win this fight together.”
On combating misinformation and sensational reporting, Oluyede appealed to media personnel to always verify facts before publication and to help build national unity:
“The social media space, especially, is flooded with misinformation, disinformation, and outright lies. That is part of why we are here — to clarify issues and appeal to the press to reach out to us before putting out unverified stories.”
“We are satisfied with the support we’ve received from the media so far, and we hope to deepen that synergy to ensure national security is not undermined by sensational reporting.”
The COAS stressed that military efforts are only one part of the broader solution to insecurity, saying, “The Army performs about 20 to 30 percent of what’s required. The rest involves civil cooperation, intelligence, and addressing the root causes of these conflicts.”
“Whatever it takes, we shall ensure that these activities — particularly in North-Central Nigeria — are brought to a stop. We are on ground, and we will continue until peace is fully restored.”
Credit: Nigerian Tribune