By Uriel Ihotu
In response to the escalating violence and recurring attacks by suspected herdsmen and armed militia groups in Benue State, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja Oluyede, has relocated to Makurdi, the state capital, to oversee military operations and personally assess the deteriorating security situation.
The Army Chief’s decision follows a string of brutal attacks in various communities, particularly in Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas, where over 40 people were killed in renewed assaults over the weekend. The violence, which has become an almost daily occurrence, has claimed numerous lives, left scores injured or maimed, and displaced hundreds following the destruction of homes and farmland.
Arriving in Benue on Tuesday morning alongside key Principal Staff Officers and senior commanders from Army Headquarters, General Oluyede is undertaking a hands-on mission to evaluate the security situation and lead strategic efforts to quell the violence.
Sources within military circles confirmed to Daily Sun that the COAS has ordered an immediate reinforcement of troops to the troubled areas, vowing to deliver what he termed “the battle of their lives” to the perpetrators of the ongoing atrocities.
During his stay, General Oluyede is expected to:
Conduct strategic meetings with field commanders and operational units,
Review ongoing military operations,
Visit troops at forward operating bases and frontline locations to boost morale,
Engage directly with affected communities to reassure citizens of the Army’s commitment to their safety.
In a bid to strengthen operational effectiveness, the Army Chief is also reportedly considering a major shake-up in leadership within the affected commands. According to military sources, new field commanders may soon be deployed to take charge of specific operations in Benue, with the aim of restoring peace and halting what many have described as a wave of ethnic cleansing.
Sunday’s attacks on multiple communities in Gwer West and Apa LGAs left at least 43 people dead, barely a week after the killing of a priest, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, along the Makurdi-Naka road, and an earlier attack on the hometown of Catholic Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, which claimed 42 lives, including a Mobile Police officer.
General Oluyede’s relocation to Benue mirrors a similar move he made weeks ago in Borno State, where his presence on the frontlines significantly boosted counterinsurgency operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters. Military insiders credit his direct engagement with the troops and community leaders in Borno as a key factor behind the recent decline in terror attacks in the northeast.
The Nigerian Army has reiterated its commitment to protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens. It has also urged residents of Benue to remain vigilant, cooperate with security agencies, and report suspicious activity as efforts to restore peace intensify.
As the situation continues to unfold, the Army Chief is expected to remain in Benue for several days, leading from the front as he pushes for a decisive end to the violence.
