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Tag: Benue state

  • “Defend Yourselves” – Ortom tells Benue Indigenes.

    “Defend Yourselves” – Ortom tells Benue Indigenes.

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on  the people of the state to brace up to defend themselves in the face of incessant killings by the herdsmen.

    The governor who spoke on a radio programme titled, ‘issue of the moment’ monitored by our correspondent on Tuesday said that it was necessary for them to do it in legitimate way so as not become easy prey to their killers.

    Governor Ortom noted that in spite of the presence of policemen in the state, killings were still on going in the two local government areas.

    He regretted that the statements credited to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris blaming the anti-open grazing law for the new year attacks has rather encouraged the herdsmen to continue with their attack on the state.

    Read Also: Ortom advises motorcyclists against jungle justice in Benue

    He also lamented the inability of the security operatives to stop the killings and arrest the killers as well as the perpetrators of the New Year killings.

    The governor explained that despite the presence of police, the killings in the state was yet to cease, expressing doubt of compromise among those who were supposed to provide security to the people of the state.

    According to him, ‘It is because we are law abiding that is why we are being attacked daily,’ adding,  ‘you need to listen and hear the opinion of the people of the state on the matter.’

    “I think the people should have the right to defend themselves and not make themselves easy prey to be killed in their homes.”

    “So any lawful means you can adopt to defend yourself just go ahead in Benue state. We are not going to wait for the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to do it.”

    The governor commiserate with families of the police personnel who were killed in the cause of carrying out their official duty in the state.

    “It is unfortunate, the Police are dying and the Inspector General of Police is playing politics with the issue.

    “The man should resign because he has failed woefully. He doesn’t have the capacity.

    “There are many good Police officers who can take over that job and perform creditably by turning around the security architecture of this country and make thing work and protect lives and property. That man has no business being the IGP,” Ortom lamented.

  • Benue: Gov. Ortom lifts Gboko curfew

    Benue: Gov. Ortom lifts Gboko curfew

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, today announced the lifting of the curfew on Gboko town.

    He made the announcement at a meeting he held with leaders of the Benue Motorcycle Association across the state and heads of security agencies at the Benue Peoples House.

    Governor Ortom reiterated his condemnation of the killings at the Gboko motorpart but maintained that the victims were not Fulani people as reported in some quarters.

    The Governor insisted that the criminals who carried out the condemnable act should be apprehended and prosecuted.

    He urged the people not to take the laws into the hands but to report infringements on their rights to the appropriate authorities. 

    The Governor expressed appreciation to the Motorcycle Association for their pledge to assist in tackling the security challenges in the state. 

    It could be recalled that a dusk to dawn curfew was imposed on Gboko town on 31st January, 2018, following security threats in the area.

  • ‘Benue: Herdsmen killed 2000 people in five years’

    ‘Benue: Herdsmen killed 2000 people in five years’

    Not less than 2000 people have been killed in Benue State with properties valued in billions of Naira destroyed by marauding Fulani herdsmen between 2013 and the early part of 2018.

    This is even as Governor Samuel Ortom has called for the removal of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mr. Ibrahim Idris for his failure to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of these “heinous” crimes.

    Breiefing newsmen in Makurdi ,the State Commissioner for Information, Lawrence Onoja Jnr. said the figure represents the official recorded number of people killed in the state within the period noting that other deaths were not recorded .

    Onoja who expressed concern at the recent security situation in the state regretted that authorities have failed to arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore who issued the threats and had fulfilled their pledge to launch offensive on Benue communities.

    “The leaders of Miyeti Allah Kautal Hore have neither been arrested nor were they invited for questioning, rather different strategies have been devised by some of those saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property to divert attention from the real issues”.

    He cited media statements credited to the Minister of defence and the IGP over the Benue killings saying such statements coming from the nation’s top security chiefs may have confirmed the fears expressed by many people that the herdsmen unleashing murderous attacks on Benue may have the backing of some highly placed individuals within the security apparatus of the country.

    “When those who are entrusted with the sensitive task of protecting lives and property of innocent Nigerians resort to placing unjustified blames on the good intentions of the Benue State government to promote peace and security, then such people have unknowingly or knowingly become part of the problem we have on our hands today in the country”.

    It would be recalled that the Senate recently gave the IGP two weeks ultimatum to arrest and bring to book perpetrators of the New Year attacks on Benue community which he has failed to do until now.

    “I insist that Ibrahim Idris, by his comments has demonstrated his incompetence as a Police chief and “we have lost confidence and trust in him since clearly he either lacks the capacity to apprehend these armed Fulani militia or by his inaction and utterances portrayed himself as complicit in the grand plot to disposess our people of their ancestral land by violent means”.

    “We call on the Federal Government to immediately relieve Ibrahim Idris from his position as the Police IGP as he has failed woefully in his duties especially as the two weeks ultimatum given him by the Senate to apprehend the killer herdsmen have elapsed without any meaningful arrests of the culprits but has resorted to unprofessionally trading blames rather than confronting the problem without fear or favour”.

    He also recalled the the president had  ordered the IGP to relocate to Benue in the wake of the new year day killings to restore peace and order saying that available records show that the police chief was sighted in the state for just a day or two after which he relocated to Nasarawa state.

    “It is obvious that the Police Boss does not accord any urgency and seriousness in arresting the perpetrators of the mass murder of our people and his body language may have embolden these militia herdsmen to further lay false claim of ownership to the Benue Valley through the so called right of conquest”.

    The Information Commissioner insisted that the State Government will neither stop speaking out on the injustices done to Benue nor suspend the Anti-Open Grazing and Establishment of Ranches Law for any reason and urged the police and other security agencies to rise up to their responsibilities by enforcing the law.

  • Two killed in fresh Fulani attack in Benue

    Two killed in fresh Fulani attack in Benue

    Two persons have been killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Waku village, Guma Local Government area in Benue state.

    Waku village is the country home of Senator Joseph Waku, chairman Governing council of Federal University Akure.

    In a joint press conference by the Benue state commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni and chairman of Guma local Government council Hon Antony Shawon held at the state Command headquarters in Makurdi.

    Both Owoseni and Shawon told newsmen that two people were killed and many people sustained serious injuries while several houses were set ablaze in the village.

    CP Owoseni on his part said 15 mobile units from other states have been deployed to Benue state to beef security.

  • Buhari/Ortom: The problem of measurement in Benue State

    Buhari/Ortom: The problem of measurement in Benue State

    IN his response to the Senate’s accusation that he had not done enough to resolve the spinoffs from the New Year’s Day killings in Benue State, President Muhammadu Buhari insisted he had indeed taken concrete, measurable steps. He enumerated the steps in a revelatory letter he wrote to the Senate, dated January 25. Senate President Bukola Saraki read the letter on the floor of the Senate on January 31. So far, neither the Senate nor the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, seems convinced that anything of substance has been done. While the Senate is tentative in its assessment of the presidency’s response, Benue State has been predictably cynical and dismissive.

    The problem between the presidency on the one hand and both the Senate and Benue State on the other hand is either one of miscomprehension between the parties or a problem of measurement. Nothing indicates that a meeting point is anywhere near. The Senate appears truly mystified by what many suspect to be the government’s foot-dragging, while on the other hand Benue State appears almost permanently poised to exhibit its cynicism, considering how angered they are by the presidency’s ineffective, if not insulting, claim of altruism. On the whole, the country is baffled, not so much by the government’s lack of definitive response, but by its hollow claim of doing something that apparently can’t be measured.

    Here are the president’s claims. “One, on Thursday 4th January, I sent the Minister of Interior and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.” How this amounts to something concrete is beyond comprehension. This step, if that is what it really is, is so routine and elementary that it does not need presidential intervention to trigger. Were the police to be run not with the servile spirit that suffuses its operations but with the responsiveness and effectiveness that are denotative of its constitutional responsibility, their officers would have met instantly when the crisis broke, deployed their men to gather information and intelligence, and make immediate and preliminary arrests.

    “Two, on Friday 5th January, the Inspector-General of Police briefed me verbally on the latest situation, calm had then been restored.” This, of course, is no action, nor even a response. It is more indicative of everything that is amiss with both the policing system of Nigeria and the structural malformation that has rendered the country incapable of responding promptly and intelligently to crisis. It is also indicative of the fact that the president was merely fishing for items to lengthen his letter to the Senate.

    “Three, on Monday 8th, the Minister of Interior met with the following: Governors of Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Benue Taraba and Nasarawa together with the DG of the State Security Services, Inspector-General of Police, CG Civil Defence, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Police Commissioner of the six aforementioned states. After the meeting, I instructed the Minister of Interior to brief you on the information gathered so far and steps taken.” This meeting is absolutely no response whatsoever. What would have amounted to some action were concrete steps flowing from the meeting, steps Nigerians and Benue people in particular can verify as yielding results. The Benue State governor attended the meeting, and he tells the press that he cannot point to anything concrete that the government has done through the Interior ministry initiative.

    “On Tuesday, 9th of January, I had a long session with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State during which I informed him of police arrest of some suspects with Kalashnikovs. In addition, I told him that I have instructed IGP to speed up trial and prosecution of the suspects and give wide publicity of the police efforts.” It is again baffling that this should be itemised by the president as a concrete action. It is not, and it has no pretext to be regarded as a response or initiative by the federal government to a crisis that its inaction and insensitive interpretations have indirectly fuelled.

    “At the request of the Governor, a meeting was held in the Presidential Villa on 15th January with a wide cross-section of Benue personages where frank and open discussions were held and everybody in the meeting appreciated the complexity and difficulties of this farmers-herders strife. I assured all and sundry of my commitment to ensure that justice is expeditiously done.” No, Mr President, this was an initiative of the Benue governor, not an action by the federal government. If the president had asked to meet with the governor immediately the crisis flared, he would have been partially commended. The better action would, however, have been to visit the crisis epicentre, empathise with victims, whoever they were, meet with the state’s opinion leaders and traditional chiefs, interact with the herdsmen, and mobilise concrete federal response, including law enforcement and relief materials.

    Then, this conclusion. “To infer therefore that nothing has been done is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings. Furthermore, I have instructed the IGP to relocate to Benue State and redeploy forces to the most sensitive towns.” This was perhaps the only real step the government took. But its efficacy remains to be seen, for as the governor said, “the killings have continued.”

    More appropriately, however, it is sad that the presidency missed the nuanced import of the Senate’s letter. The Senate was not asking what mundane and feeble steps the federal government had taken; it was asking what the government’s own understanding of the issues involved was, what policy initiatives it believed were best placed to tackle the menace and restore peace, and, going forward, what long-term steps and policies needed to be put in place to resolve the crisis once and for all, not only in Benue, but also in other states where similar clashes predominate. It is embarrassing that the government’s response to the Senate query contained such tepid and ineffectual measures. It is not surprising that the more perceptive Benue State governor last Wednesday concluded that the federal government had not done enough. He was charitable. It is disputable whether the government has really done anything worth the trouble of anyone remembering.

  • Benue’ll not succumb to any move to repeal law – Ortom

    Benue’ll not succumb to any move to repeal law – Ortom

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says his government would not succumb to any intimidation or move to repeal the open grazing, prohibition and ranches establishment law.

    Governor Ortom stated this when he visited Three Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camps including Abagena, LGEA Primary School Daudu and United Nations High Commission for refugees ( UNHC ) Shelter.

    He restated his resolve to continue to call on the Federal Government to rise and stop the killings and displacement of Benue people by Fulani herdsmen as such was the lawful thing to do.

    Governor Ortom stated that the federal government with the capacity to stop the killings in the state had allowed People to be playing game with the matter to divert attention by accusing his administration of raising Six Thousand militia men and making inflammatory remarks.

    The Governor directed the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Cecilia Ojabo to deploy a team of medical personnel to the Abagena IDP camp newly created to provide health services there.

    Governor Ortom also directed that security Personnel be provided at the new Abagena camp housing displaced persons from neighbouring Nasarawa State to ensure adequate security.

    He also called for humanitarian assistance from civil society groups,spirited individuals and the international community,adding that the number of displaced persons and their needs far outweigh resources of the state.

    Earlier, Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mr. Emmanuel Shior said the Abagena camp has over Six Thousand most of who were from Nasarawa state, adding that relief materials had equally been deployed there.

  • IGP warns state govts, CPs against arming militia, vigilante groups

    IGP warns state govts, CPs against arming militia, vigilante groups

    …Maintains killing is due to communal clash

    The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has warned state governments and Commissioners of Police against equipping militia and vigilante groups with prohibited firearms.

    The Police Chief also directed Commissioners of Police in charge of Commands to monitor the activities of state governments as the country enters into a political era. 

    He disclosed this on Thursday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja during the monthly meeting with Commissioners of Police and other senior officers.

    He said: “Everybody is aware we are entering a tedious and serious period in this country. The political issues are coming up to the fore and I believe as officers, we must gear up in our various locations and responsibilities to ensure that we ensure law and order all over Nigeria. 

    “As police officers, we know our duties. We know some issues that must be considered very seriously because we are coming into a political arena.

    “Commands should be very conversant with arming of militia men or vigilante because before a vigilante group is established by a government, there must be a bylaw which must be passed by the House of Assembly.

    “It is the responsibility of the Commissioners of Police in charge of Commands to study the bylaw and see how it conforms with the constitution and other laws of this country but where through the connivance of some Police officers,  you have a command arming militia men under several leus, I think our officers have to brace up to face these challenges.

    He further said: “No government in this country has the responsibility to approve some prohibited firearms to any Nigerian under any guise.

    “I think it is the responsibility of CPs of Commands to put a close watch to the activities of some of these governments that are arming individuals which is against the laws of this country.

    “All of us are aware of these prohibited firearms, you cannot give approval for any individual to own a pistol or AK47 Rifles. These are prohibited weapons and only the government has the authority to give that approval. 

    “I call on CPs of  various Commands to closely watch the abuse of authority at various levels”,  the IGP said.

    On the killings in Nasarawa and Benue State and the effect of his relocation as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, the IG said the killings have reduced drastically.

    He also maintained that the clashes were communal.

    According to him: “To be frank, I relocated to Benue for about eight days and when I came back,  I left the DIG Operations there. I must say that the incidences in Benue State and Nasarawa State have reduced drastically”.

    On the killing in Gboko, he said: “We had an attack on some travellers in Gboko town, in Benue State where seven fulani people were murdered.

    “Seven of them were travelling from Taraba to Kogi State,  they stopped in Gboko and the youths there, seeing that they were fulani, pounced on them, killed and roasted them.

    “We are investigating that issue now. Our monitoring team have been dispatched to Benue and some arrest have been made in that regard.”

    On the clash being a communal clash, the IGP said : “This issue like I said from the beginning, is communal clash. These are clashes occurring between two members of the community and like I stated in both states, as Nigerians,  we should learn to live together and tolerant of each other.

    “I addressed traditional rulers recently in Port Harcourt and I think they have a lot to do to bring peace and harmony within their community.

    “This country needs leaders that can unite the communities not leaders that create divisions and I think it is high time leaders answer their names and be among those that will bring peace and stability all over the country”, he said.

  • Benue killings: Buhari tackles Senate over allegation of inaction

    Benue killings: Buhari tackles Senate over allegation of inaction

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday tackled the Senate over the accusation of the upper chamber that Presidency has not done much to deal with issues arising from the January 1st killings in Benue State.

    President Buhari in letter to the Senate said that it was incorrect for the Senate to infer that nothing has been done especially when the police are strenuously working to apprehend the perpetrators of heartless killings.

    President Buhari’s letter was in response to Senate’s letter to him where the chamber detailed its resolutions on the killings and the way out of the recurring development.

    The Presidential letter dated 25 January, 2018 and addressed to the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki is entitled  “Re: Report on the review of security infrastructure of Nigeria on the emergency visit to Benue State.”

    The letter was read to Senators by Saraki in plenary yesterday.

    Herdsmen suspected to be Fulani had, on January 1st, 2018, swooped on two communities in Benue State, Guma and Logo and massacred over 73 people.

    Many others suffered varied degrees of wounds while some were still missing.

    The President said in the strongly worded letter that on Tuesday, 9th of January, at a session with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, the governor was duly informed of police arrest of some suspects involved in the killings.

    He noted in addition, that the governor was also informed that the police have been instructed to speed up trial of the suspects as well as to give wide publicity of the police efforts.

    “To infer therefore that nothing has been done, is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings,” Buhari said.

    President Buhari informed the Senate that the federal government is initiating measures to address the Benue killings and other security challenges to alleviate the consequence of the attacks and forestall reoccurrence.

    He said that the Senate resolution itemised in the letter to him, would be taken into consideration and “I’m instructing all relevant Ministries Departments Agencies (MDAs) to factor them in their work.”

    As part of measures to address the worsening  President Buhari said that on December 19, 2017, while receiving the report of the committee that was set up to review the technical and administrative structure of the Nigeria Intelligent Agency ( NIA ), he underscored the need to review the entire national security architecture.

    The President said that the measure was in line with his promised in his inaugural address on the 29th May 2015.

    He said that action was being initiated to receive maximum cooperation from the Senate in line with paragraph three of the Senate resolutions which sought collaboration in addressing security challenges.

    The letter read in part: “I thank you for your letter referenced NASS/8S/R/01/33 dated 18th January 2018 and carefully studied the resolutions and comments there in.

    “As I briefed you and the RT. Hon. Speaker when we met, several courses of action have been taken prior to the senate resolution.

    “You may recall that I told you of the following steps taken as soon as the information came in to me about the Benue killings.

    “One, on Thursday 4th January, I sent the minister of interior and the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

    “Two, on Friday 5th January, the inspector-general of police briefed me verbally on the latest situation, calm had then been restored.

    “Three, on Monday 8th, the minister of Interior met with the following, governors of Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Benue Taraba and Nasarawa together with the DG of the State Security Services, Inspector-General of police, CG Civil Defence, minister of agriculture and rural development and police commissioner of the six aforementioned states.

    “After the meeting I instructed the Minister of Interior to brief you on the information gathered so far and steps taken.

    “On Tuesday, 9th of January, I had a long session with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State during which I informed him of police arrest of some suspects with Kalashnikovs. In addition, I told him that I have instructed IGP to speed up trial and prosecution of the suspects and give wide publicity of the police efforts.

    “At the request of the Governor, a meeting was held in the Presidential Villa on 15th January with a wide cross-section of Benue personages where frank and open discussions were held and everybody in the meeting appreciated the complexity and difficulties of this farmers-herders strife. I assured all and sundry of my commitment to ensure that justice is expeditiously done.

    “To infer therefore that nothing has been done, is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings.

    “Furthermore, I have instructed the IGP to relocate to Benue State and redeploy forces to the most sensitive towns.

    “The Federal Government is initiating measures to address these and other security challenges, alleviate the consequence of these attacks and forestall reoccurrence. The Senate resolution itemised in your letter would be taken into consideration and I am instructing all relevant MDAs to factor them in their work.

    “On December 19 to be precise, while receiving the report of the committee that was set up to review the technical and administrative structure of the Nigeria Intelligent Agency (NIA), I underscored the need to review the entire national security architecture as I promised in my inaugural address on the 29th May 2015,

    “Action is being initiated to receive maximum cooperation from the senate in line with paragraph three of the senate resolutions.”

  • Herdsmen: Defence minister under attack

    Herdsmen: Defence minister under attack

    Benue State governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, yesterday faulted Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali for attributing the invasion of the state by killer herdsmen to the enactment of anti-open grazing laws.

    He said it was unfortunate that the minister prefer conferring immunity on cattle to human beings.

    He said herdsmen attack on farmers is a monster that has the capacity of consuming the entire country.

    He said as at Thursday, there were reports of killings in Guma part of the state.

    Ortom, who reacted to the Minister’s claims at the Benue People’s House, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the minister.

    He said: “It is unfortunate, but I want to console myself that that thing is not coming from the Honourable Minister. But if it did, I’ll say that it is very, very unfortunate. Then the solution to the security challenges we have in this country is not in sight having those kinds of people in position who are not able to give quality advice and to also proffer solution to the security problems we have here.

    “For instance, if you say it is because of the law that killings by herdsmen are going on in Benue, is there any law prohibiting open grazing in Adamawa State? Is there any one in Plateau State? Is there any law in Kaduna, Ondo, Bayelsa, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta or Edo State?

    “In Edo State, cattle have taken over even schools. This is provoking. It is like dancing on the graves of those people who were murdered and slaughtered in this state on the first of January. “It’s unfortunate that you have those kinds of people who are saddled with the responsibility of providing security for our country. I do not want to join issues with him, but I will personally see him and try to find out why he had to say that.

    The other day, a report came from the Department of State Services (DSS) that it was the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) terrorist organisation that is taking over, and I also heard that the minister was quoted as saying we should accommodate foreigners. Foreigners who come here illegally should be accommodated?

    “So if a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is coming out to encourage our citizens to do illegal things, I now begin to see why they have given immunity that is the prerogative of the President and the Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors, to herdsmen who kill and even to cattle.

    “So, cattle in Nigeria have more immunity than human beings. This is unfortunate, and I look forward that he will apologise to us and retract what he said, because it is an insult on our collective leadership.

    “It is wrong. And let the minister know that we are more intelligent than he thinks we are. We will continue to do the right thing. We’re not asking for anything outside the laws of this land. The law prohibiting open grazing that we have enacted was legitimate as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and as law-abiding citizens, we will continue to do this.”

    Ortom asked the Federal Government to address the security challenge at hand instead of diverting attention.

    He said: “I want to advise the Federal Government to face this challenge squarely because it is their responsibility to provide security for lives and property, because we as a state don’t own the security apparatus of this country.

    “So it is their responsibility. Instead of diverting attention, they should address the security challenges at hand.

    “Today, they will say that Ortom is arming 6,000 militia and tomorrow they will go and sponsor people to write rubbish about me and all that just to try to divert attention. Why not face the real issue that is confronting us?

    “This is a monster that has the capacity of consuming the entire country, and we must arise as leaders and support Mr. President to ensure that we surmount this.

    Responding to a question, he asked the President to caution the Defence Minister.

    He added:  “Well, I’ll see what Mr. President will do, because I’m sure that he must have also heard what the minister said and I expect that he’ll respond to that because it’s wrong.

    “I want to believe that the Mr. President I know and who I supported and I’m still supporting is an upright person who is always truthful and he’ll say the right thing and caution his minister, because I can’t believe that a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at this time will come and add insult to our injury.

    “We are pained by what this man came out to say yesterday.”

    On the likely backlash of his protest against the killings in the state by the powers that be, he said he would continue to stick to the truth.

    “Whatever it is I say, it does not matter. As long as I’m on the side of the truth and doing the wish of my people, I’m satisfied. I don’t care about any gang-up. It doesn’t matter.

    “But I heard it; gang up to do this and that. But it doesn’t matter,” he said.

    The governor also said the death toll in Benue killings could be higher than 73.

    He expressed regrets that the herdsmen were also killing security personnel.

    “I’ve not got the complete figure, but there is a committee working on that. But even on the burial, I did say that the deaths were more than 73.

    Even yesterday, there were some killings in Guma, including a policeman. One policeman was wounded and one is still missing. You see, these people are joking.

    “If terrorists that are hired by herdsmen under the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore that are known by the Federal Government have gone beyond killing our people who are civilians to killing security personnel, if security men are being killed in this manner, where is our safety? That is what the minister of Defence should be concerned about.

    “They know where these people are, so they are making me to believe that the Minister of Defence is also part of the conspiracy against Benue State, and is not about grazing, it is about occupation, taking over the land.

    “That is what Miyetti Allah said, and they have accepted that it should be so. This is not correct.”

    Addressing State House correspondents after a meeting President Muhammadu Buhari had with security chiefs on Thursday, Dan-Ali blamed the recent killings in Benue State on the state’s anti-open grazing law.

  • Benue Govt. procures N100m relief materials for IDPs

    Benue Govt. procures N100m relief materials for IDPs

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue said the State Government had procured N100 million relief materials for immediate distribution to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in five camps in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of the state.

    The governor disclosed this on Sunday when he visited the camps in the two Local Government Areas of the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the camps were in Daudu, Tse-Adi, Central Primary School; Gbajimba, Anyiin and Ugba.

    He said that the relief materials would be supplied to all the camps on Monday (Jan.15) in order to cushion the effect of their sufferings.

    He advised the IDPs to conduct themselves orderly and to support one another when the need arises, urging them to be their brothers keepers to avert a repeat of what had befallen the state.

    The governor assured them that the security agencies were working very hard to ensure that they return to their various homes in no distant time.

    He appreciated the Federal Government for sending relief materials to the IDPs through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    He further sympathised with them over the unfortunate incident that sent them out of their respective homes.

    Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Emmanuel Shior, said that the agency had registered more than 60,000 IDPs so far, adding that the registration was ongoing.

    Shior commended Gov. Ortom for his untiring efforts to ensure that the IDPs were comfortable. (NAN)