Benue traditional leader urges Trump to expand US anti-terror strikes to North-central

The Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Daniel Abomtse, has called on former US President Donald Trump to extend American military strike operations against terrorists in Sokoto State to include Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger, and Plateau states.

Abomtse, speaking to journalists over the weekend, commended the US strikes on terrorists in Sokoto but raised concerns about the subsequent movement of armed herders into central Nigerian communities.

According to him, the strikes have inadvertently displaced some elements, leading them to enter Benue and neighbouring areas with sophisticated weaponry.

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“I felt their movement in my local government as well as in Agatu LGA. They have been running away from Sokoto to coastal areas in Gwer West and Agatu with sophisticated arms and grazing openly. They are in my domain,” Abomtse said.

He praised the US action as a significant intervention in addressing long-standing security challenges in Nigeria, noting that the terror threat has persisted for over 16 years.

“What President Trump has done is the best thing to have happened to the government of Nigeria. I commend him for dealing with the menace in the country, which began about 16 years ago,” he added.

Abomtse’s remarks highlight growing security concerns in central Nigeria, where communities are increasingly vulnerable to armed groups and herders displaced by military operations in the northwestern region.

He stressed the need for a coordinated effort to prevent further escalation and ensure the safety of local populations.