THE Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has paid a visit to the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, as part of efforts to address the insecurity in the state.
The COAS on arrival in the state, met with the governor privately before leaving.
In a post shared on his X account on Tuesday evening, the governor said Oluyede and the top military leadership visited to restore peace following the incessant killings of our people by armed herders, militias, and other violent groups.
“The COAS has come not only to assess the situation personally but to take decisive action. He has already ordered the deployment of additional troops and will be holding high-level strategy meetings with all field commanders.
“He will also visit attacked communities, boost troop morale, and lead from the front lines. I commend the COAS and the Nigerian Army for this bold and proactive step. Our people deserve protection, justice, and peace,” he said.
The governor also assured the residents that the state government remains fully committed to supporting all lawful efforts aimed at ending the senseless killings and restoring peace across all affected communities.
“I also appeal to our people to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies, and continue to provide credible information that can aid their operations. Together, we will overcome these challenges and usher in a new era of peace and security,” he added.
Thirty-three persons were feared killed by suspected herdsmen in recent attacks on Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State, leaving many residents missing as the affected communities begin headcounts on Monday morning.
At about 7pm on Sunday, residents of Tse-Antswam in Naka town, the headquarters of Gwer West came under attack by suspected herdsmen, leaving 17 people dead, as others fled for their lives.
A community leader, Patrick Modoom, who confirmed the casualty figures to Channels Television via telephone, said, “Seventeen corpses have so far been recovered at Tse-Antswam, a community by the LGEA primary school Naka, close to the Federal Government Dam project.”
Modoom added that “many people are still missing as headcount is being carried out, with many others displaced into the primary school where police personnel from the town and vigilantes are providing security”.
Similarly, 16 persons were killed in Edikwu and Ankpali communities from the neighboring Apa , leaving many people killed.
According to the lawmaker representing the Apa State Constituency at the Benue State House of Assembly, Abu Umoru, “16 persons have been confirmed killed but many are still missing”.
