NIGERIAN ARMY VOWS TO CRUSH KILLERS IN BENUE, PLATEAU, NORTH-CENTRAL STATES AS TERROR SPREE ESCALATES

Amid a deadly resurgence of armed violence in Nigeria’s North-Central region, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has declared a renewed military resolve to eliminate the perpetrators of killings in Benue, Plateau, and other affected states. The Army Chief, addressing journalists during a security media engagement held in Akure, the Ondo State capital, emphasized that the military would not rest until all criminal actors were hunted down and brought to justice.
Represented by Major General Obinna Onubogu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Oluyede said the military is now operating under a direct mandate from President Bola Tinubu to act decisively against threats to internal peace and national unity. “We shall go after them, and by God’s grace, we will get them,” he vowed during the media parley themed “Media Collaboration: Panacea for Enhanced National Security and Development.”
Oluyede’s remarks come against the backdrop of continued bloodshed in agrarian communities across Benue, Plateau, and parts of Kwara State, where recent attacks have left dozens dead and thousands displaced. In the case of Benue State, he disclosed that the Army was already finalizing elaborate security arrangements expected to roll out in the coming weeks, with a view to crushing the menace.
Beyond the frequent attribution of violence to herder-farmer conflicts, Oluyede warned of a more disturbing possibility — that some of the attackers may be foreign mercenaries exploiting Nigeria’s porous borders and local conflicts. “We are mindful that some of these people may be foreign elements,” he said. “The behaviour we are seeing is utterly despicable, the way they go about their work. It does not reflect any kind of national identity or value system.”
He reiterated the Nigerian Army’s operational footprint across the region, noting that security deployments had been reinforced in Plateau, Benue, Kwara, and other flashpoints. “The Nigerian Army has remained engaged in quite a number of states that are experiencing insecurity,” he said, affirming that the fight was not merely reactive but strategic and intelligence-driven.
General Oluyede also called for closer synergy between the military and local communities, stating that public support was vital to the success of security operations. “The Army cannot be everywhere at once. Nigeria is a vast country, and we are not as large in number. We need communities to support us by reporting suspicious movements and giving timely intelligence.”
The military’s latest posture signals a more aggressive and coordinated crackdown on violent non-state actors who have turned parts of the North-Central into theatres of terror. Recent weeks have seen deadly assaults on villages, with victims including women, children, and security personnel.
Despite repeated condemnations and promises of action, the affected states continue to mourn their dead with limited signs of justice or reprieve. The Army’s statement, therefore, marks a moment of renewed commitment — and a test of whether the Nigerian state can finally turn the tide against rural bloodletting.