Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has relocated to Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, following a surge in deadly attacks by suspected herders and armed militia groups that have left hundreds dead in recent weeks.
Military sources confirmed that Oluyede departed Abuja on Tuesday morning, accompanied by top officers from Army Headquarters, to conduct an on-the-spot assessment and coordinate a response to what local officials have described as near-daily assaults on rural communities.
“The Chief of Army Staff has ordered the deployment of additional troops to Benue to confront the attackers and restore order,” a senior military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The violence, which has raged across parts of the central Nigerian state, has seen villages burned, homes destroyed, and scores of civilians killed or injured. Officials say over 300 people have been killed in the past two months alone.
Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the most recent wave of attacks after a security meeting in Makurdi. “Twelve people were killed in Apa Local Government Area, while 11 bodies were recovered in Gwer West,” he said, adding that many others were critically wounded.
During his visit, Oluyede is expected to meet with operational and unit commanders, visit military outposts, and engage with affected communities. According to military sources, he aims to “boost troop morale” and reassure residents of the army’s commitment to securing their lives and property.
The attacks have sparked national outrage, with some describing the violence as a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Armed groups wielding assault rifles and machetes have been accused of targeting farming communities in an escalating conflict over land and resources.
In a separate incident last Saturday, 14 traders travelling on a Benue Links commercial bus were abducted along the Owukpa road in Benue South. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
The Guardian
