OPWS Commander Meets Miyetti Allah Leaders to Strengthen Peace Efforts in Benue

Summary

• OPWS Commander Major General Moses Gara holds high-level talks with MACBAN leaders to address insecurity.
• Meeting focuses on resolving farmer-herder clashes, kidnappings, and cattle rustling through dialogue.
• Stakeholders urged to support peace efforts, report threats, and reject lawlessness.

Makurdi, Nigeria — In a strategic push to end the cycle of violence in Benue State, the Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), Major General Moses Gara, has met with leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Makurdi to address ongoing security challenges in the region.

Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), Major General Moses Gara, Addressing Participants

Held behind closed doors at the Signature Hotel, the stakeholder engagement brought together representatives from security agencies, local authorities, and MACBAN to chart a course for lasting peace.

The discussions tackled key issues including farmer-herder conflicts, retaliatory attacks, kidnappings, and cattle rustling, all of which have threatened stability in the state.

General Gara reaffirmed the military’s commitment to restoring peace through inclusive dialogue and collaboration. He urged MACBAN leaders to actively support peace efforts by rejecting acts of lawlessness and promoting harmonious coexistence.

“This meeting is a bold and necessary step toward isolating criminal elements, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting peaceful cohabitation among communities,” he said. “Dialogue must supersede confrontation if we are to achieve enduring stability.”

He also assured participants that concerns raised during the meeting would be forwarded to state and federal authorities for appropriate action. Emphasizing a zero-tolerance stance on impunity, General Gara stressed that all parties must uphold the rule of law and use legal channels to address grievances.

The engagement marks a shift towards civil-military cooperation, aiming to de-escalate tensions and rebuild trust in conflict-prone communities.

Participants were charged with staying vigilant and committed to the resolutions reached, with the hope that this new approach will enhance security, stimulate the local economy, and improve citizens’ well-being across Benue State.