The Traffic

Federal Government Deploys Special Forces to Curb Benue Terror Attacks

By Achimi muktar 

Benue State is reeling from one of its darkest weekends in recent history — over 200 people, including children, women, security agents, and displaced persons, were butchered in a wave of coordinated terrorist attacks that have plunged the Northcentral state into mourning, outrage, and chaos.

Now, the Federal Government has deployed a combined team of special forces — made up of intelligence agencies, the police, and the military — to the blood-soaked battleground in a desperate bid to halt the carnage and reclaim control.

Acting on a direct order from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the elite units touched down yesterday with a presidential mandate: end the killings, restore peace, and bring the murderers to justice.

“The latest news of wanton killings in Benue State is very depressing,” said Tinubu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. “Enough is now enough.”

The President called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to rise as a true statesman and lead reconciliation efforts with all aggrieved groups, saying the bloodshed was “inhuman and anti-progress.”

The weekend massacre struck Yelewata and Daudu in Guma Local Government Area. According to reports, terrorists attacked from two fronts, overpowering local defenders and unleashing bullets on helpless internally displaced persons hiding in market stalls. Survivors claim entire families were wiped out, while some farmers were burned alive in makeshift shelters.

Only days earlier, 25 people were killed in Makurdi’s Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities. The state, once a vibrant agricultural hub, now resembles a war zone.

Protesters Block Highways, Cry for Help

Furious and heartbroken, thousands of youths flooded the streets of Makurdi under the trending hashtag #StopBenueKillings, blocking highways and demanding federal intervention. Clad in black and holding fresh leaves, the protesters accused authorities of turning a blind eye to the “genocide.”

“We cried, we wrote letters, we warned them. Nobody listened,” lamented Brahms Ikuan, a youth leader. “If urgent steps are not taken, there might be no place called Benue tomorrow.”

Even the Vatican has noticed. Speaking before his Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis prayed for the “rural Christian communities of Benue” who have “been unceasingly the victims of violence.”

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, deeply alarmed, called the killings a national emergency. “The identities of the perpetrators must be uncovered and justice served,” he said, urging compensation for survivors and a transparent investigation.

Social media influencer Very Dark Man also joined the protest, helping clear blocked roads and pleading for calm — but the situation boiled over. Videos of police teargassing demonstrators surfaced online, sparking even more outrage.

In his strongest condemnation yet, President Tinubu warned Benue’s political and community leaders against “inflammatory remarks” and emphasized that provocateurs will no longer be tolerated. “We must work in harmony and address differences with fairness and justice,” he said.

The president ordered a full crackdown, instructing security chiefs to execute previous directives with immediate effect.

Governor Alia confirmed the arrival of elite tactical squads and said more reinforcements are expected. He called the attacks “barbaric,” and vowed to strengthen security interventions, community dialogues, and intelligence sharing.

Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun has been on ground, coordinating operations and promising results. Commissioner of Police, Emenari Ifeanyi, echoed that the federal forces have now taken over, stating:

“We have already cut the head of the snake, and we will get the peace we deserve.”

The Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) issued a scathing statement, urging total war on the killer gangs. Former Governor Gabriel Suswam called for unity and collaboration, rather than blame.

“The time for political gymnastics is over,” Suswam’s media aide said. “We need collective action, not excuses.

With the state gripped in fear, the roads choked with protests, and the dead still being counted, Nigerians are watching to see if the Federal Government’s latest move will break the cycle of violence or become just another failed promise.