Benue Killers Are Foreign Mercenaries, Says Army Chief Oluyede
Byline: By IDNN Defence & Security Bureau
AKURE — Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has dropped a startling claim: that the recent wave of killings in Benue State is being carried out by foreign mercenaries, not Nigerians.
Speaking through the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General Obinna Onubogu, at a Civil-Military Media Chat in Akure on Saturday, Oluyede described the attackers’ behavior as “utterly despicable” and inconsistent with Nigerian values.
“We are mindful that some of these people may be foreign elements,” the Army Chief said. “The way they go about their work does not reflect any kind of national identity or value system.”
He stated that the military is preparing elaborate security operations in Benue and surrounding flashpoints. “In the coming weeks, you will see sweeping security arrangements. We shall go after them, and by God’s grace, we will get them,” he declared.
Oluyede affirmed that the President had given “clear orders” for the military to act decisively. Full deployment has already commenced.
Beyond deployment, Oluyede called for stronger community intelligence sharing, lamenting delays caused by weak information flow from locals. “Nigeria is vast, and we are not as large in number as people think. The Army depends on the people,” he said.
At least 200 people — including security personnel and internally displaced persons (IDPs) — were killed last week in Yelewata and Daudu, Guma LGA, sparking national outrage.