The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has reacted to the renewed attacks by suspected herdsmen in the state.
No fewer than 10 persons were killed and several others injured after suspected herdsmen attacked Mkgovur village in Buruku Local Government Area of the state last Friday. The All Progressive Congress (APC) LG Secretary, Hon. Terseer Shirga,was among those killed in the attack. (pictured)
It was gathered that herdsmen forcefully entered the village to graze on farmlands but were resisted by the youths. They left only to mobilise and returned to the village in large numbers shooting sporadically and chasing everyone from their homes.
"The Federal Government has to rise up to its responsibility as far as this crisis is concerned and do more to avoid further bloodshed in Benue State. The police must step up their activities and arrest these criminals who come around and murder my people," the Governor said earlier today while visiting affected areas.
"I was expecting the security agencies to have arrested those who killed these people. I am here personally to find out and I have already confirmed that none of the herdsmen were killed or attacked. My people were the ones attacked. So this is not allowed. I am a man who fears God and I am always fair in my judgement.
"As far as I am concerned, there is no record of any herdsman who has been killed or any of the cattle rustled or killed. So why should my people be killed? These people who were murdered here did not carry any arms. They were killed in cold blood. This is not right and the security men will just have to step up because to allow impunity to continue will not be fair. And I have a limit to how I can restrain my people from going for revenge. I have a limit even as Governor. I am not happy with this development. I expect that the security men should go after the armed herdsmen. I have restricted my people from killing Fulani men or killing their cattle."
No comments:
Post a Comment