The Nigerian defence headquarters (DHQ) has declined comment on the controversies surrounding the attack on Iye community in Uvir council ward of Benue State.
The Military High Command said the Benue crisis requires a political approach and not military solutions to bring it to an end.
Some armed men in military uniforms had on 21 May 2023 allegedly attacked Iye community in Benue State killing at least 18 villagers including children and women.
The community had accused the military of being behind their ordeal. But the director of defence media operations, Major-general Musa Danmadami while briefing journalists in Abuja said the military was focused on its positive achievements and not the negative aspect.
He said “our troops are doing a lot; we do not want to dampen their morale and dwell on the negative things that are happening. Definitely negative things happened during the period under review but we are not dwelling on them because Nigeria is moving forward as well as the armed forces.
“Like I told you on several occasions, we know about what is happening in Benue and to the best of my knowledge, I know that a military solution might not bring a total end to that one, it must be a political and total all government approach to the problem in Benue state.
“I want to believe that in the coming weeks, solutions are being appropriated and I am sure you will see a reduction in what is happening in Benue state as well as other areas in the country which have similar challenges,” he said.
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