A traditional ruler in Benue State has raised the alarm over what he described as a sudden influx of armed bandits and herders into communities in the state, following recent airstrikes carried out by the United States military against terrorist enclaves in parts of Northern Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West Local Government Area, Daniel Abomtse, said the movement of armed men into Benue appeared to be a direct consequence of the US missile attacks, which reportedly dislodged terrorist groups from their hideouts in the North-West.
Findings by PLATFORM TIMES indicate that suspected terrorists operating across northern states have begun relocating to new territories after the Christmas Day airstrikes, dispersing in small units and abandoning known camps to evade further military action.
On Thursday, United States President, Donald Trump, announced that US forces had carried out precision strikes against Islamic State terrorists in north-western Nigeria.
The Federal Government later confirmed that it supported the operation, explaining that the strikes were conducted on carefully identified locations used by the terrorists.
Although the Federal Government said no fatalities were recorded, it acknowledged that several locations were hit. In Sokoto State, a missile reportedly landed on a farmland in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area, while some buildings were damaged in Offa, Kwara State.
Additional strikes were also said to have targeted suspected hideouts of the Lakurawa armed group within the Sokoto axis.
Residents of affected communities said several people sustained injuries, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed during the strikes.
Reacting to the development, Abomtse told The Punch that he had observed the presence of armed men in Gwer West and neighbouring Agatu Local Government Area shortly after the attacks.
“I noticed their movement in my local government and also in Agatu. They are running away from Sokoto towards coastal areas, coming with sophisticated weapons and grazing openly. They are already in my domain,” the monarch said.
While commending the United States for the military intervention, Abomtse urged President Trump to extend the airstrikes to other states grappling with insecurity, including Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger and Plateau.
“What President Trump has done is the best thing to have happened to Nigeria in tackling this menace that started about 16 years ago,” he added.
Efforts to get a reaction from the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, proved unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to her were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, in Sokoto State, residents and security sources said the airstrikes threw terrorist groups into disarray, forcing them to abandon camps and alter their operational plans.
Community leaders in Tangaza, Gudu and parts of Illela Local Government Areas said there were signs of panic and dislocation among armed groups after the strikes.
Some bandits were reportedly seen moving in smaller numbers towards remote forest corridors, while others were believed to be attempting to cross into neighbouring border communities to evade aerial and ground surveillance.
A community leader in Tangaza, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the airstrikes sent a “strong signal” to criminal elements, adding that although residents remained cautious, there was relief that known hideouts had been hit.
Sokoto State government officials said intelligence assessments were ongoing to determine the direction and scale of terrorist movement, noting that security agencies had been placed on high alert to prevent infiltration into safer communities. Border patrols and joint operations with federal forces were also said to have been intensified.
A security expert, Bashar Umar, confirmed that surveillance had been strengthened across flashpoints, particularly in border local governments, to curb further movement of terrorists.
Meanwhile, indications emerged that the United States has resumed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations over the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
A Sahel-focused terrorism tracker, Brant Philip, disclosed on X that flight-tracking data showed a US aircraft operating over parts of Borno State.
According to him, the aircraft, identified as a Gulfstream V jet commonly used for ISR missions, resumed surveillance on ISWAP positions after a brief pause following the Sokoto strikes.
Also reacting, a US congressman, Riley Moore, said the airstrikes helped prevent what could have been deadly Christmas attacks in Nigeria, noting that the latest operation marked a turning point in efforts to curb terrorism in the country.
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