New Telegraph

Benue killings: Carry arms, defend yourselves, Ortom tells subjects

*Says Nigerians are suffering under Buhari’s govt

Cephas Iorhemen, Makurdi

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State Tuesday spoke tough against rampant killing of his people by armed Fulani militants advising people of the state to carry arms to defend themselves from the attackers.
He said the killing of innocent people of the state has gone on for too long and the people can no longer sit and watch aliens invade, massacre the people and go scot free.
Governor Ortom, who spoke with journalists in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, shortly on arrival from the PDP Governors meeting, which held in Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday, said he has upgraded all women to be men to join in the battle to fight the worsening insurgency bedevilling the state.
The governor was reacting to recent pockets of killings in Guma, Gwer-West, Gwer East and Makurdi local government areas where dozens of people were massacred by invading armed herdsmen.
“I tell you the truth, everybody in Benue State should be armed to defend his or herself and as Governor of Benue State, I have upgraded all women to be men, everybody should have something to defend themselves.
“I am not going to be talking about killings again, you cannot sit in your house and allow anybody to just come and kill you and go back and think you will be happy with that.
“I have told my people, defend yourselves even the Minister of Defence, what did he say, he said people should defend themselves so why can’t my people defend themselves.
“People should rise up, if you don’t have the lawful weapon that are available, go to your labour and get it and that’s all.”
Ortom described the Ibadan meeting as a wonderful one, stressing that it afforded PDP Governors the opportunity to advise  President Mohammadu Buhari give attention to the worsening security and economic down turn.
He regretted that Nigerians, including those of them in leadership positions, are suffering and stressed the need for the citizens irrespective of political differences to close ranks to pull the country out of tedium.

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