By John Moses
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has pledged to overhaul military strategy and pursue those responsible for repeated deadly attacks in Benue State, asserting that the military will no longer wait for insurgents to strike.
Speaking during a visit to Yelwata community to assess the aftermath of recent violence, General Musa declared: “Enough is enough. This is our country, and we will not surrender it for any reason.”
The visit follows a spate of killings in Benue’s rural communities, which the general condemned as “one death too many.” He said the nature of the attacks suggests targeted operations, likely supported by insiders providing information to the assailants.
“I will be meeting with commanders of our security formations to review our operational strategies,” Musa said. “We will take the fight to the attackers – we will no longer wait for them to strike. The pattern of these killings indicates betrayal from within, and we are determined to uncover and eliminate such threats.”
The Defence Chief met with local leaders and traditional rulers to build trust and encourage collaboration with the armed forces. “There have been issues of trust, but we are working to restore unity. We are setting up structures to ensure this is the last time such an incident occurs here,” he added.
General Musa reassured Nigerians of the military’s commitment to restoring peace, noting that similar measures implemented in other regions had proven effective. He emphasised the need for joint efforts between the military, state authorities, and local communities.
“This madness must stop,” he stated. “We cannot allow our country to be taken over by violence. With support from citizens and leadership from the top, we will prevail.”
