Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has proposed the establishment of a community-based vigilante system in Benue State, modeled after successful initiatives in Borno State.
During a meeting with traditional rulers in Makurdi, the state capital, on Tuesday, General Musa emphasized the importance of empowering credible local youths to serve as vigilantes under military supervision.
He urged traditional leaders to identify and address any criminal elements within their communities, stressing that acts of sabotage would not be tolerated.
This initiative comes in response to escalating violence in Benue, where over 160 residents have been killed in the past two months, including at least 59 in a single overnight attack on Yelewata village.
The attacks, attributed to suspected herders, have displaced thousands and drawn widespread condemnation, including from Pope Leo XIV, who described the violence as a “terrible massacre.”
In a show of solidarity, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule visited his Benue counterpart, Governor Hyacinth Alia, to express condolences and announce a ₦150 million donation for internally displaced persons.
Both governors are collaborating on peace initiatives aimed at resolving the longstanding herder-farmer conflicts that have fueled the violence.
President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the killings and has called on community and religious leaders to foster dialogue and reconciliation. The Senate has also urged the deployment of additional troops to Benue to restore order and protect civilians.
General Musa’s proposal for community-led security measures reflects a growing recognition of the need for localized solutions to address the complex security challenges in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
