Airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets have neutralised several terrorists.
The strikes came two days after terrorists killed 17 soldiers during a gun battle in the Bangi community, Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement on Friday, NAF’s spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the air component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA Sector 1, a military operation against bandits/terrorists in the northwest, targeted the terrorists behind the attacks.
Ejodame said NAF fighter jets carried out a series of precision air strikes from June 24 to 26 in support of ground troops.
He said, “On 26 June, following credible intelligence, with inter-service and inter-agency cooperation, the NAF identified terrorist activities involving attacks and cattle rustling in Kakihun and Kumbashi communities.
“Swiftly deploying air assets, the Air Component executed multiple waves of precision strikes that neutralised scores of terrorists, destroyed their logistics, and disrupted regrouping efforts.”
Also, in his efforts to restore peace following the recent attacks and killings of civilians by bandits in Benue, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has again visited the state to ensure peace.
No fewer than 147 persons were killed in Yelwata, an agrarian community in the Guma Local Government Area of the state, two weeks ago.
Following the development, President Tinubu convened a high-level stakeholder meeting at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, where he directed the heads of security agencies and the Chief of Defence Staff to halt the killings and bring the perpetrators to justice.
A statement by the Director of Defence of Information, Brig-Gen. Tukur Gusau, stated that the CDS went back to the state yesterday, June 26, to engage more with prominent traditional rulers and elders in the state.
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He said, “During the engagement, the CDS gave a firm assurance of the Armed Forces’ commitment to restoring peace and stability in the state.
“The meeting, which involved extensive interaction, brought together the Tor Tiv, Ochidoma, first- and second-class chiefs, and elders from various zones of the state.”
According to the Defence spokeman, the forum provided an avenue for open dialogue on the root causes of the recurring attacks by suspected herdsmen, as well as the identification of actionable solutions.
He said, “The CDS explained that the meeting was in line with the directive of the President and Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to engage with the Benue Council of Elders in order to uncover both the immediate and underlying causes of the crisis and propose effective measures to address them.
“The CDS emphasised the gravity of the security challenges in the state and the need for collaborative solutions, noting that a recent high-level security meeting in Abuja, involving the Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, and the National Security Adviser, was part of efforts to address the situation comprehensively.”
Gusau said that the Tor Tiv, who is the Chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, identified the activities of suspected herdsmen and bandits—especially the grazing of cattle on farmlands—as a major driver of insecurity, forcing locals to abandon ancestral homes for internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps.
“He also lamented the marginalisation of traditional rulers in governance and decision-making processes, despite their strategic role in peacebuilding,” Gusau said.
He said the advisory team established by Defence Headquarters, local chiefs, and military commanders also made valuable contributions and proposed practical solutions, including the adoption of cattle ranching as a sustainable alternative to the nomadic system, which they believe fuels conflict.
“The chiefs called on the government to act with fairness and impartiality in addressing the crisis,” Gusau said.
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