Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa has alleged that locals in the Yelewata community of Benue are harbouring, sheltering and entertaining perpetrators of last week’s massacre. 

At a press briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Mr Musa said locals, who serve as informants for the suspected herdsmen, housed, fed and gave perpetrators women but failed to provide security agencies with information.

“These criminals were harboured by people in the community,” said Mr Musa. “They were given food; they were even given women; they were guided on where the IDP camp was located. Yet, security forces received no information.”

He added, “This is why we consistently urge communities to be vigilant and report suspicious activities. Security is everyone’s responsibility.”

Over a hundred residents of Benue State were killed last week after scores of suspected herdsmen attacked the community, torching the homes of farmers and their families, including women and children.

The defence chief said the military had mobilised troops to some Benue communities upon receiving information about potential attacks.

According to him, after mobilisation to the said locations, it was discovered that the assailants had attacked the Yelewata community through “a hit-and-run approach.” He said the initial information was misleading to allow the suspected herdsmen to carry out the attacks on Yelewata.

Mr Musa’s revelation comes days after President Bola Tinubu asked security agencies why no arrests had been made since the attack.

Reacting to Mr Musa’s statement, Kula Tersoo, spokesperson for the Benue governor, said the army chief was referring to neighbouring border communities in Nasarawa state, not Benue residents.

“The accused locals are from neighbouring Nasarawa State. Yelewata is a neighbouring state to communities in Nasarawa State. These bandits normally come to stay in Nasarawa. They enter any time they want, plan the attack and go away. So he was talking about where they are being harboured,” Mr Tersoo said.

Benue traditional ruler, Tor Tiv James Ayatse, at a meeting with Mr Tinubu at the Government House in Makurdi on Wednesday, said bandits and terrorists were carrying out a full-scale genocidal invasion in Benue, and not a herders/farmers crisis.

“We have concerns about the misinformation about the security crisis in Benue State. Your Excellency, it is not herders/farmers clashes; it is not communal clashes. It is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes,” Mr Ayatse said.

He added, “What we are dealing with in Benue is calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land grabbing campaign by either terrorists or bandits.”