Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State, has once again chastised the Federal Government for its lack of commitment to addressing Nigeria’s security concerns.
According to the governor, security forces under the presidency of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) have proved their capability by arresting Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, and Sunday Adeyemo alias Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba Nation agitator.
Ortom, who spoke on Channels Television’s “NewsNight” show on Monday, asked the Buhari administration to pursue bandits and Fulani militants who are killing, rapping, and kidnapping people around the country with the same zeal as separatists.
Secessionist movement has been loud in the southern region of the country in recent months, led mostly by Kanu and Igboho. The agitators cited perceived inequality in resource allocation and nomination to crucial positions, as well as insecurity and underdevelopment, as reasons for wanting to leave the country.
Ortom said that killer herdsmen had regularly targeted his state since he outlawed open grazing on Monday night as a guest on the television show.
The governor said, “I see a lot of lack of commitment on the part of the Federal Government in ensuring that we have security in this country. I will give an example: recently, the Federal Government has demonstrated the capacity by going after Nnamdi Kanu, who was leading IPOB. I am told he was even arrested in a foreign land with the cooperation of Interpol and so on.
“I heard that Sunday Igboho has been arrested. With that kind of commitment, it shows that the Federal Government has the capacity.
“Today, bandits, Fulani militia are terrorising the entire country, the country is in disarray and these Fulani militias have come out with video clips…and they have identified where they are. It was amazing that a top government official comes out to say that the Fulani militias are invisible. How? Are they spirits? Why is the government not going after these Fulani militias and bandits that are terrorising the entire country and terrorising my state?
“Just two days ago, two humanitarian workers were gunned down in my own village by these Fulani militias and their phones taken away. And the Fulani militias took the phones and when one of their (victims’) brothers called, they confirmed that they had killed them and they are in possession of their phones and that they should tell me to repeal the prohibition of open grazing otherwise they have the right to continue to kill since I said there would be no open grazing in Benue State.
“These people who are here, who are calling themselves bandits and are kidnapping our children from school, who are calling themselves Fulani militia and are killing people, driving them from their lands and taking over, why is the Federal Government not going after them like they went after Sunday Igboho and went after Nnamdi Kanu?”
According to Ortom, over 1.5 million people have been displaced in Benue State as a result of marauding attacks, and the APC administration has failed in every element of governance.
“The APC has let this country down. Is it a matter of security, as well as economic, political, and social factors? What are our current circumstances? We are unable to visit our villages. How many Nigerians are able to go from Lagos to Kano, or from Abuja to their villages? It is an issue. Why should I go there to join APC, which has failed miserably? He was perplexed. “To do what?” he inquired.
