The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, yesterday alleged the presence of saboteurs within the Nigerian military, implicating them in the Yelwata massacre in Benue State that claimed over 200 lives.
Recall that in May 2025, during a television interview, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum declared: “We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.” He added: “Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity.”
Speaking during a visit to Yelwata to assess the destruction caused by last Saturday’s attack, Musa disclosed that some military personnel have been betraying the army by leaking vital information to bandits.
“This is one killing too many. From here, I am going to see my commanders. We need to change our strategy, look inward, and see how we can address this. We can’t do it alone without the state; we need everybody to be part of it,” he said.
Musa further pointed out that the targeted nature of the killings and arson suggests insider involvement. “If you see the pattern of killings and slaughtering, it means there is an insider. As we were going round, it became obvious that the killing and burnings were targeted. I have discussed with the community and traditional rulers as well as clan heads for us to work in synergy. There have been issues of trust, but we are going to work on it,” he added.
This came as President Bola Tinubu adjusted his official itinerary, prioritising a visit to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, over his planned trip to Kaduna.
The decision follows the surge in violent attacks across rural communities in Benue, which have resulted in loss of lives, property destruction, and heightened regional tensions.
The Presidency announced that the visit, scheduled for tomorrow, underscores Tinubu’s commitment to fostering peace, promoting reconciliation, and finding lasting solutions to the protracted conflict in the state.
During his visit, the President is expected to engage with various stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and religious leaders, civil society representatives, community heads, and youth groups. A special town hall meeting has been organised to facilitate consensus-building on the way forward.
In preparation for the visit, a high-powered delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has already arrived in Benue. The team includes the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; heads of intelligence and security agencies; and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Defence.
The Presidency noted that the visit would enable the President to conduct a firsthand assessment of the humanitarian and security challenges, particularly in affected local government areas where thousands of residents have been displaced by the violence.
Details of President Tinubu’s itinerary, including specific locations and the structure of the stakeholder engagement sessions, were not disclosed at press time.
Tinubu insists on state police to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for urgent constitutional reforms to overhaul Nigeria’s national security architecture, stating that the current framework is insufficient to address the country’s complex security challenges.
The President made this remark yesterday during a one-day legislative dialogue on the constitutional review of national security architecture, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Tinubu argued for moving policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, enabling states to assume greater responsibility for local security while maintaining national oversight.
Represented by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, he emphasised the need to align Nigeria’s security framework with present-day realities, cautioning that neither full centralisation nor outright fragmentation can adequately guarantee national safety.
“The debate over state police is no longer theoretical,” the President said. “It is grounded in the daily fears and lived anxieties of Nigerians: farmers afraid to tend their fields, traders unsure of safe passage, and communities abandoned to self-help.
“This dialogue must courageously interrogate the constitutional shifts required to move policing from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List, enabling states with capacity to assume greater responsibility for their own security while preserving national cohesion. We must learn from global best practices, adapting decentralised policing models that enhance local accountability without sacrificing national oversight,” he added.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has condemned the attack on Yelwata in the Guma Local Council of Benue State.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is also the governor of Kwara State, the forum described the attack as a grievous affront to human dignity.
“The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), under the leadership of His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Executive Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Forum, extends its profound condolences to His Excellency Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, the Government and people of Benue State, regarding the devastating attack on the communities of Yelwata and Daudu in Guma Local Council of Benue State,” the statement read.
“This heinous act represents a grievous affront to human dignity and must be unequivocally condemned. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum stands in unwavering solidarity with the bereaved families and the State Government at this time of profound sorrow,” AbdulRazaq added.
The forum also prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased, comfort for the grieving families, recovery for the injured, and resilience for survivors. It pledged full cooperation with Benue State and relevant authorities to restore peace and security.
The NGF further called on Nigerians to denounce such acts of brutality and work collectively towards fostering a nation rooted in peace, justice, and mutual respect.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has condemned Nigeria’s current leadership, decrying the deepening national tragedy marked by unchecked killings, neglect, and a disturbing lack of empathy from those in power.
In a message posted to his official X handle yesterday, Obi lamented the state of the nation, saying, “The Nigerian people are bleeding while their leaders look away—offering no comfort, no action, and no accountability.”
Obi shared his thoughts in an essay titled “What Cannot Be Hidden in Leadership,” where he criticised the failure of leadership in the wake of recent tragedies, including the massacre of over 200 people in Benue State and deadly floods in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives.
“Not even a single presidential visit. No national mourning. No show of empathy. No leadership presence at the scene of grief,” he wrote. “These are not just statistics—they are human lives. And yet, there is silence.”
Highlighting the critical elements of effective leadership, Obi outlined four essential pillars: Competence, Capacity, Character, and Compassion. He argued that where these qualities are missing, “no amount of PR, propaganda, or political gymnastics can rescue a nation.”
“Competence is about understanding the issues and having the experience to solve them. Capacity means having the energy and mental strength to face complex challenges. Character means integrity and public trust. And compassion? That’s the heartbeat of leadership—the ability to feel the people’s pain and act on it,” he said.
Drawing comparisons with responses from leaders abroad, Obi pointed to India, where the Prime Minister visited the scene of a plane crash that claimed nearly 200 lives, and South Africa, where the President personally took responsibility following floods that killed 78 people. “That is what leadership looks like,” he remarked.
Obi warned that until Nigerians prioritise competence and conscience over ethnic or religious sentiment when electing leaders, the nation will remain stuck in a cycle of suffering.
“What we have today is leadership without empathy, without presence, and without accountability. It must end. Nigeria does not need another figurehead—Nigeria needs a leader,” he said.
To the grieving communities in Benue, Niger, and across the country, Obi expressed solidarity, saying, “We see your pain. We mourn with you. And we will keep speaking until justice, dignity, and leadership return to our land. A New Nigeria is not just a dream—it is possible.” – Guardian.
