Again, COAS Vows to Bring Perpetrators of Recent Killings in Benue, Plateau, Others to Justice

Fidelis David in Akure

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has again vowed that the Nigerian Army will bring to justice the perpetrators of the recent killings in Benue, Plateau states, and other parts of the country.

He disclosed that he has also delivered critical combat enablers and deployed additional 300 troops to boost manpower under Operation “Whirl Stroke”.
Operation Whirl Stroke was launched on May 18, 2018, to counter armed herdsmen and militia groups in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Zamfara states.
General Oluyede made this known yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital during a second-quarter 2025 media chat organised by the Department of Civil-Military Affairs, Nigerian Army Headquarters.

The media chat was themed “Military – Media Collaboration: Panacea for Enhanced National Security and Development”.

The COAS, represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Div., Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Maj. Gen. Obinna Onubogu said the military was fully committed to ending the spate of violence, particularly in North-Central Nigeria.

Oluyede, who said President Bola Tinubu had given very clear orders, explained that they would remain engaged in Plateau, Benue, Kwara, and quite some other states that were experiencing insecurity.

“We are out, fully deployed, and tackling the menace head-on

“In Benue particularly, you will see in the coming weeks, very elaborate security arrangements to ensure that all that is going on there completely stops.
“Communities and local stakeholders should support military operations by sharing timely intelligence:

“The Army cannot be everywhere at once. Nigeria is a vast country but we are not as large in number as many people believe.

“We rely heavily on the support and cooperation of the local population to provide timely and credible information.

“In some cases, unfortunately, the people are not very helpful in terms of the information they give out, which delays our reaction time. That must change if we are to win this fight together,” he said.

The COAS called on media personnel to verify facts before publication and help in building national security and development to combat misinformation and sensational reporting.

According to him, the social media space, especially, is flooded with misinformation, disinformation and outright lies.
“So, we are appealing to the media practitioners to reach out to us before putting out unverified stories.

“We are satisfied with the support we’ve received from the media so far and we hope to deepen that synergy to ensure national security is not undermined by sensational reporting,” he said.

In a related development, General Oluyede has delivered critical combat enablers and deployed additional 300 troops to boost manpower under Operation “Whirl Stroke”.

A credible source who pleaded anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the deployment was a significant effort to reinforce security and operational capacity in the North Central region.

The officer said the deployment, which includes mobility and protective assets, was aimed at enhancing troop mobility, rapid response, and overall effectiveness in addressing emerging threats.

The sources said that the COAS had during his recent visit to Benue, presented a consignment of equipment at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Makurdi.

The items delivered, according to him, include over 100 motorcycles, Troop-Carrying Vehicles (TCVs), and personal protective equipment.

The Force Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE, Maj. Gen. Moses Gara appreciated the COAS for the timely support.

He noted that the newly inducted assets would be swiftly integrated into ongoing operations to expand operational reach, enhance situational awareness, and strengthen troop morale.