Nigeria’s security chiefs have been slammed over increasing terror attacks that resulted in mass killings, especially in the northern part of the country.

The security chiefs, according to stakeholders, may have been overwhelmed or treating the problem with kid gloves.

The wave of terrorism has sparked public outrage across the country, especially with continuous killings in Plateau, Benue, Borno, and Katsina states, and the emergence of a new terror group, Mahmuda, aka the Mallam Group, in the North Central.

Mahmuda adds to growing security concerns already worsened by Boko Haram, ISWAP, Lakurawa, and other bandit and militia groups.

The security chiefs include the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Also in charge of security matters are the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

250 killed in two weeks

Sunday PUNCH noted that within two weeks, about 250 people were reported killed in separate attacks on Plateau, Benue, Borno, Kebbi, Katsina, Abia, and Kwara states.

Reports indicated that at least 113 people were killed in Plateau State by suspected Fulani militants who invaded Zike, Kimakpa, and areas within Bokkos and Bassa local government areas of the state.

In Benue State, attacks by suspected armed herders on communities in the Ukum and Logo LGs of the state claimed 20 lives on April 17, 2025. The death toll later increased to 55 after more bodies were recovered on Sunday, April 19.

The new terror group, Mahmuda, also killed 15 vigilantes and villagers on Wednesday in an attack on Kemaanji, a community in Kaiama LG of Kwara State.

Reports showed that the group had taken control of areas within Babana and Wawa districts of Borgu LG in Niger State.

This is as some soldiers were seen in different videos accusing the authorities of not arming them with enough weapons to confront the terrorists and bandits.

Bello Turji nightmare

Meanwhile, notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has been reportedly unleashing mayhem on residents.

In September 2024, President Tinubu ordered Matawalle, and the military chiefs to relocate to Sokoto State as part of efforts to rid the state and the North-West of terrorism and arrest Turji.

However, seven months after the presidential directive, the military has yet to apprehend Turji.

The bandit leader has been linked to several mass killings, kidnappings, and attacks on villages in Zamfara, Sokoto, and parts of Katsina.

In February, the Chief of Defence Operations, Major General Emeka Onumajuru, said the military was actively tracking the bandit kingpin and he would soon be neutralised.

But Turji has remained elusive, with his fighters carrying out deadly attacks and collecting levies from some communities in the North-West region.

He is also said to be controlling some villages in the region where his men operate with little resistance, despite the deployment of additional troops and intelligence resources.

A civil society organisation in Kebbi State, the Association for Peace and Good Governance, berated the military for not arresting Turgi.

Speaking in Birnin Kebbi, the Secretary General of the group, Usman Anache, stated that the service chiefs in particular had failed the north and President Bola Tinubu.

“The north has been turned into a killing field with no concrete action taken by the service chiefs,” Anache said.

Calls for security review

Responding to the killings in Plateau, a lawmaker representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Daniel Asama, who spoke on Channels Television’s programme, ‘The Morning Brief,’ claimed that security agencies were familiar with the whereabouts of the masterminds of the recent killings in the state.

He said, “The security agencies know where these attacks have been coming from. The people in the community can show them the routes of these attackers.”

Reacting to the rising terror attacks, a former Chief of Defence Training and Planning, General Ishola Williams (retd.), accused the service chiefs of benefiting from the insecurity in the country.

He stated that the security agencies were not showing enough commitment to ending insecurity, noting that there was a need to restructure the security apparatus.

“Early this year, we were clamouring for the review of the security architecture. They said there’s no reason for that. It appears that the service chiefs agree with the President that the military and police are doing well and they don’t want to push for a re-organisation; they don’t want any change.



https://punchng.com/security-chiefs-under-fire-over-mass-killings/