Benue Crisis: CDS Meets Tor Tiv, Och’Idoms, Other Traditional Rulers
In a renewed drive for sustainable peace and security in Benue State, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, on Thursday, convened a high-level peace advocacy meeting with traditional rulers in the state.
The meeting, held at the Old Banquet Hall of Government House Makurdi, was attended by the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ortese Ayatse, the Och’Idoma, John Odogbo, and other traditional leaders in the state.
The meeting is the second in a series of engagements with royal fathers and community stakeholders on the search for enduring peace and stability in Benue State which has faced massive killings and displacement of communities by herders and local militias.
Briefing journalists after the closed door meeting, General Musa emphasized the sincerity of the federal government and military leadership in resolving the security challenges confronting Benue State.
He recalled previous consultations, including the recent visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as part of ongoing efforts to secure the state and ensure displaced citizens return to their communities.
“We have a challenge in Benue State, and I believe working together, we will find a solution,” he said. “When we sit down and talk sincerely, bringing out all that is affecting us, we’ll be able to find the solution,” the CDS said.
He expressed appreciation to the Tor Tiv and Och’Idoma for their candid contributions and called for continued collaboration between the communities and security agencies.
He also urged the royal fathers to regard the military as partners and “sons” working towards peace in a region with shared history and struggles.
Responding to the CDS’s call, the Tor Tiv acknowledged significant improvements since the last engagement and expressed optimism that the renewed dialogue would help to permanently address the state’s security woes.
“Our people also have some roles in the conflict, including cattle rustling. We are taking responsibility and working to bring our people under control to prevent further clashes,” he stated.
The Tor Tiv urged security forces to apprehend and prosecute any criminal element within their traditional domain.
The Och’Idoma, on his part, stressed the need to differentiate between peaceful Fulani residents and armed herders responsible for violence.
“We are not saying all Fulani should leave. The known, peaceful ones have been with us for years. We are asking only those carrying arms and causing terror, killing, raping, and destroying our farms to leave,” he said.
The Och’Idoma added that the people of Benue must be able to return to their farms and feed the nation as the “Food Basket of the Nation.”
Reacting to the traditional rulers’ remarks, General Musa said certain individuals, both internal and external, were fueling the crisis for political or economic gains and warned that the military would not condone illegal arms possession or criminal activities regardless of the perpetrators’ identity or affiliation.
“Anybody bearing arms illegally will be arrested. If he threatens security forces, he will be neutralized. That is the mandate,” the CDS said, emphasising that the military is committed to replicating peace-building successes recorded in other troubled regions.
He cautioned military personnel against complacency and reminded them of their constitutional duty to protect lives, their colleagues, and host communities.
The CDS assured that the outcome of the meeting would be relayed to the President for further action.
On efforts of security forces since the Yelwata killings, General Musa confirmed the arrest of suspects, adding that prosecution will now follow.
“We are committed to ending the era where crimes go unpunished. There will be no sacred persons. Anyone involved in violence must face justice,” he said.
On the resettlement of displaced persons, the CDS revealed that Yelwata is now secured with additional forces deployed, and preparations are underway to facilitate the immediate return of IDPs to their communities.
He also touched on the issue of Cameroonian refugees residing in parts of the state, some of whom have reportedly contributed to local tensions, assuring that efforts are on to facilitate their return.
“The true measure of our success is when IDPs leave the camps and return home. That is our goal, and we are working hard to achieve it,” he stressed.
The meeting closed with a strong commitment to unity and action, raising hope for lasting peace and the safe return of displaced persons in Benue..
