Influx of Armed Groups Reported in Benue, Kogi Following U.S. Airstrikes

Eshioromeh Sebastian

Barely 48 hours after United States forces carried out missile strikes on suspected terrorist locations in Sokoto and Kwara States, communities in Benue and Kogi States are reporting a sudden and alarming influx of armed groups.

Local leaders and security sources say the U.S. military action, coordinated with the Nigerian government, has disrupted terrorist and bandit camps in the northwest, triggering a southward movement of fighters seeking new havens.

In a report by Punch Newspaper, in Benue State, the Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West Local Government Area, Daniel Abomtse, confirmed the unsettling development. “I have felt their movement in my local government as well as in Agatu LGA. They are running away from Sokoto to coastal areas in Gwer West and Agatu with sophisticated arms and grazing openly”, he stated.

The traditional ruler, while commending the U.S. intervention, urgently called for its extension. “I commend [President Trump] for dealing with the menace… I call on him to extend the operations to Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger and Plateau states,” Abomtse added.

Security analysts warn that this dislocation was an anticipated consequence of the strikes. Kabiru Adamu, a security expert and CEO of Beacon Consulting in Sokoto, who also spoke with the newspaper, explained that the terrorists would likely abandon known locations and attempt to blend into law-abiding communities or seek support from international terror networks.

“They will also spin a narrative that a Christian country, the United States, is attacking Muslims in Nigeria… They will seek support from other terror groups around the world,” Adamu cautioned.

The report revealed that a top government source, speaking anonymously, confirmed that collaborative efforts between U.S. and Nigerian intelligence are actively tracking these movements. “Some of the terrorists were escaping to Kogi and neighbouring states… measures are being put in place to flush them out,” the source revealed.

Meanwhile, U.S. surveillance operations have reportedly resumed over the Sambisa Forest in Borno State, indicating a sustained, multi-front engagement. The situation has placed security agencies across the north-central region on high alert to prevent the infiltration of armed elements into previously calmer areas.