New Telegraph

Ortom: Armed herdsmen wanted to kill me

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State yesterday escaped death by the whiskers as alleged Fulani herdsmen armed with sophisticated weapons attacked his convoy in broad daylight.

The governor was returning from his farm located along the Makurdi-Gboko road when he ran into the militants, who started shooting at his convoy, apparently to eliminate him, when his security men repelled them into a forest located between Makurdi the state capital and Abinsi, a suburb settlement in the outskirts of the town.

Ortom, who briefed journalists in his office at the Government House, Makurdi, on the incident, however, said he and other persons on his convoy were not wounded, adding that the attack took place at about 11 am.

 

The governor, who disclosed that the insurgents, who ambushed him were more than 15, said that they were dressed in black attire, stressing that because of his physical fitness, he was able to run for about one and a half kilometres without stopping and thanked God for sparing his life.

 

He blamed his planned elimination on the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, whom he said had allegedly hatched the plot at a recent meeting held at Yola, the Adamawa State capital, during which he was reportedly singled out to be killed.

 

“Today (yesterday), is Saturday and usually as a farmer, I used to go to farm and I went to my farm along Gboko road and on our way back, we started hearing gunshots and we discovered people who were dressed in black and from our experience, it was very clear that they were Fulani militia bandits

 

. “And I did not want to take things for granted because few days ago, the media were awash with a statement from the Fulani Miyetti Allah, who met in Yola – Adamawa State and decided that they must take Nigeria as their country and every other person living here must be a slave.

 

“I was alarmed at singling me out at that meeting as the only person who is creating problems to the entire Fulani race in the country. “Behind the scene, I also heard that in the Yola meeting, I was targeted for elimination and that they will go after me whether in my home or in my farm or wherever they can get me. “This is not the first time

. I had intelligence before that these people said they were going to kill my security aides and then capture me alive and give me gradual killing. But like I always say, my life is in the hands of God and not any Fulani man and I still remain firm. I will fight for the truth, justice, equity and fairness,” said Ortom.

 

Ortom said he has since reported the matter to relevant security agencies as well as briefed his lawyers to petition Miyetti Allah over the plan to kill him, stressing that if he “cannot go to the farm as governor with the entire security around me, then who else can go the farm?”

 

He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for responding to his recent letter that anyone with an AK-47 should be shot at sight, and called on the President and security operatives to fish out the perpetrators.

 

“They (the armed herders) are in the forest between Makurdi and Abinsi. They are living there and coming out to commit atrocities, evil, raping women, killing our people, maiming them and destroying our farmlands and each time our Livestock Guards go after them, they run back to the forest across the River Benue.”

 

Ortom said there was no going back on the law prohibiting open grazing in the state, saying any Nigerian who wants to do legitimate business, including cattle rearing, must abide by the law.

 

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Sewuese Anene, declined comments on the matter, saying the since the governor, who is the chief security officer of the state had spoken on the matter, the command through the CP will speak on the matter some other day.

 

“The governor has spoken. At a good time, the Commissioner of Police too will speak. So, we wait for that time. For now, no comment,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the arrest and prosecution of those who attempted to assassinate Ortom on Saturday. The PDP, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order an immediate manhunt, arrest and prosecution of the assailants as well as beef up security around the governor.

 

The party expressed shock that, “the assailants trailed Governor Ortom and opened fire on him and his aides along Makurdi/Gboko road, in an attack that by every indication is aimed to assassinate the governor.

 

“Our party is worried that this brazen attempt at Governor Ortom’s life is coming on the heels of his outspokenness in exposing those allegedly behind the incessant attacks of communities in the state and demanding that the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility on the protection of life and property in the state.”

 

It expressed fears for the life of the governor and said Nigerians should hold the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration responsible over its failure to take a decisive step to check the escalated insecurity and brazen attacks on innocent Nigerians

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