The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has directed security agencies to immediately commence coordinated operations to dislodge armed herder terrorist camps identified in forests around Apa, Otukpo, Gwer-West and other parts of the State.

The Governor was reacting through a statement by his chief press secretary, Tersoo Kulas, to the brutal attacks on Edikwu-Ankpali, Ikobi, and Adija in Apa LGA, as well as Upu village in Otukpo LGA which left many dead.

He said the decisive directive is necessitated by the renewed waves of violent attacks on innocent communities, which he described as unacceptable and increasingly hydra-headed.

He noted that these criminal elements have exploited forested areas as operational bases to launch attacks, and must be flushed out without delay.

Governor Alia reaffirmed that the protection of lives and property remains the foremost responsibility of his administration. He has therefore mandated a sustained, intelligence-driven security crackdown aimed at neutralizing all threats and restoring confidence among citizens, particularly in the affected local government areas.

The Governor also assured residents that the State Government is working in close synergy with federal security agencies and will not relent until lasting peace is achieved.

He urged the people to remain vigilant, cooperate with security operatives, and continue to provide credible information that will aid ongoing operations.

While commiserating with families who have lost loved ones in the recent attacks, Governor Alia reiterated his administration’s resolve to confront criminality head-on and ensure that Benue State is safe for all.

The Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brig. Gen Yusuf Ali, has dismissed as false, misleading and entirely unfounded allegations that repentant and active Boko Haram members are being armed to fight alongside the Nigerian military.

Viral video clips surfaced online showing a visit by Danish vlogger Jones Raw to purported Boko Haram rehabilitation centres in Maiduguri.

The footage, shared on an X (formerly Twitter) account, BSN (@Barristerstreet), captured Raw interacting with groups of former insurgents who appeared heavily armed, with claims that they were being prepared to accompany Nigerian troops in operations against their former allies.

Reacting in a statement personally signed by him on Tuesday, the coordinator of the programme said the claim circulating in the viral video misrepresents the mandate and operations of the Operation Safe Corridor.

He said, “The attention of OPSC has been drawn to a widely circulated video and accompanying claims alleging that ‘repentant and active Boko Haram terrorists’ are being armed to fight alongside the Nigerian military under OPSC.

“It is necessary to categorically state that this claim is false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.”

He clarified that OPSC remains a strictly non-kinetic, multi-agency programme focused on de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-combatants, stressing that participants are neither armed nor deployed for military operations.

“At no point are participants armed, mobilised, or deployed for combat operations. Upon completion of the programme, participants are formally handed over to relevant state authorities for reintegration and remain within established monitoring frameworks.

“The programme continues to serve as a critical component of Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy by reducing the pool of fighters, encouraging voluntary disengagement, and supporting long-term national stability, ” he said.

Ali further distanced the programme from other initiatives, noting that several state-led De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration initiatives operate independently and are not under the control or supervision of the Defence Headquarters or the Federal Government.

“For clarity, it is important to state that there are several state-led De-radicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration initiatives across the country which operate independently and are not under the control or supervision of the FGN or Defence Headquarters.

“Individuals processed through such state-level arrangements are not recognized as participants within the DHQ-led Operation SAFE CORRIDOR framework. This distinction is critical in addressing the misinformation being circulated, ” he said.

The coordinator also refuted claims regarding the location shown in the viral footage, insisting that the facility depicted is not the official OPSC camp.

He explained that the designated DRR facility is located in Mallam Sidi and operates as a secure and controlled military environment.

“The location shown in the video is clearly inconsistent with the OPSC facility, based on observable differences in structural design, layout, and operational setting,” he said.

Ali added that the Danish blogger identified as Jones Raw, along with individuals featured in the video, has no known association with OPSC and has never been granted access to its facility.

Describing the allegations as capable of undermining national security efforts, the coordinator said OPSC would not ignore narratives that could erode public confidence.

He noted that the programme operates with the support of international partners, including the European Union, which he said underscores its compliance with global standards and transparency.

In a move to counter the claims, OPSC invited the blogger and any interested and credible observers to undertake a coordinated visit to its camp in Mallam Sidi for independent verification of its activities.

“OPSC remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and the effective execution of its mandate rooted in non-kinetic efforts towards ensuring national security and sustainable peace,” Ali added.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio claims that “people are sponsoring” insecurity in Nigeria as the 2027 general elections inch closer.

Akpabio said this at the commissioning of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRC) headquarters in Abuja.

“You are seeing insecurity today; it’s even increasing because the election is coming. As soon as the election is over, watch out for the first two weeks; you won’t hear any bomb blasts because people are sponsoring to distract,” Akpabio said at the event on Tuesday.

The lawmaker praised President Bola Tinubu for his administration’s reforms, saying the Nigerian leader won’t be distracted but will remain focused on governance despite efforts to the contrary.

“They don’t know what else to do; they say this man is too good in many areas; the government is attracted to him because he is taking very good care of the states.

“Initially, it’s less than 18 governors. Today, we have almost 32 governors under his fold out of 36 states,” Senator Akpabio said.

Nigerians will head to the polls in less than one year. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has 31 governors and enjoys an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly. While the opposition has accused the ruling party of pushing Nigeria towards a one-party state, Akpabio has dismissed their claims.

In his address, Akpabio accused the opposition of failure to put their house in order, faulting the calls for the resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, over an alleged partisan social media post.

“So where do we belong? How do you win elections when you don’t know how to structure? No political party today is stable in this country.

“Then they change and say, ‘Let us attack the people going to do the election,’ and they bring out a tweet saying the chairman of INEC said, ‘Victory is Sure’. But he didn’t say victory is sure for APC or PDP, and the man said, ‘It’s manipulated.”

“But for me, whether manipulated or not, he said, victory is sure. He was not the chairman of INEC then. Anybody can support whoever he wishes to, but when you are in a seat, you have to think of the entire country and its populace,” he added.