BENUE KILLINGS: GOV. ORTOM MEETS PRESIDENT BUHARI

BUHARI 

Following the incessant attacks by suspected armed herdsmen in several communities in Benue state that has claimed scores of innocent lives with properties running into hundreds of millions of naira, many stakeholders have called on the FG to be proactive lest it blows into an unmanageable proportion.



The attacks which have taken various colorations, has resulted in protests by youths in Makurdi, further leading to killings allegedly by security operatives.

Tuesday 9th Jan, 2018 saw Mr. President and the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom in a meeting at the State House, Abuja, discussing the way out from this unfortunate crisis.

It will be recalled that since these killings, both the President and the Benue State governor had not met over the matter and this had elicited some negative comments from leaders in the state.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting with the president, Gov. Ortom stated that the attackers were camped in Tunga in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State while also, acknowledging steps taken by the Federal Government in tackling the crisis.

The Benue State governor however, said more needed to be done as he gave an account of how the attackers engaged the security personnel stationed in his state, killing some and injuring others.

Ortom while speaking with the media, stated that he is yet to understand what the federal government meant as regards the Federal Government’s plans to set up colony of cattle rearers, since has not been briefed on the matter.

According to Ortom, he could only support it when he understood the idea.

"My mission to the Presidential Villa is to brief President Buhari on the crisis, like I have done in the past", Ortom stated.

It will also be recalled that recent comments by the Benue State governor would have caught the attention of the Presidency which could have culminated in this meeting as, Ortom had expressed his disappointment and misgivings with the federal government over its handling of the herdsmen attacks in the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in his Twitter page, stated that the security of every nigerian remains paramount to his administration.

"I just met with the Governor of Benue State. I assured Governor Ortom of our total commitment to the security of lives & property in Benue and elsewhere. We have deployed additional security resources to fish out the attackers, bring them to justice, and prevent further attacks".