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Tag: Samuel Ortom

  • Ortom adamant: Cattle colonies, grazing reserves unacceptable

    Ortom adamant: Cattle colonies, grazing reserves unacceptable

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has again rejected the suggestion that the state create  Cattle Colony or Grazing Routes for herdsmen.

    He said the suggestions were not acceptable to the Benue people.

    Ortom stated this on Thursday in Makurdi in a service to mark the mass burial of the victims of the herdsmen invasion. He had stated this position on Wednesday at a stakeholders meeting attended by the Inspector General of Police. Idris Ibrahim.

    On Thursday, he said since the state does not even have adequate land for farmers, it does not have the space to  give  herdsmen for grazing.

    He insisted on ranching, saying “it is the best way to go and it is in conformity with global best practices”.

    Ortom said if the recent killings by herdsmen were meant to intimidate the state government to repeal the law, the herdsmen  had failed woefully.

    He also blamed the  killings of Benue indigenes on the  silence of the Federal Government and others responsible for the security of lives and property, an accusation he also made on Wednesday.

    Ortom lamented that if the Federal Government had acted on the reports he gave it concerning the threats of attacks by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, the killings would have been averted.

    Read also: FG gives reason for proposing cattle colonies

    He urged the Federal Government to arrest the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore because they had severally made incisive statements against the state.

    He, therefore, stated that the recent killings were a pointer to the fact that they had threatened and executed their devilish threats.

    He condoled the families of the slain victims and those that were injured as well as those that lost their property.

    Also, the CAN Chairman, Rev. Akpen Leva, urged Benue citizens to unite irrespective of tribe, political and religious differences in order to tackle their enemies.

    Leva described the attacks as a “genocide” that was targeted at exterminating the Tiv’s.

    Former Military Governor, Katsina State, Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd) also described the attacks ” a conspiracy against the indigenes” and said it would be resisted.

    Also in a funeral eulogy, Sen. Joseph Waku, said the state has  had enough of the senseless killings saying ”enough is enough”.

    One of the survivors, Mr Akaater Azera, said that the herdsmen came in the night while they were asleep and started shooting sporadically.

    According to him, when his wife came out, the gun toting men shot and killed her on the spot.

    Azera added that when he ran out of the house, he was pursue, with machete cuts  inflicted on his face  and leg.

    NAN

  • Herdsmen killings: Buhari, Ortom meet in Aso Rock

    Herdsmen killings: Buhari, Ortom meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting may not be unconnected with the herdsmen killings in several parts of Benue State.

    Over 70 persons have been reportedly killed in the state this year.

    The governor arrived the Presidential Villa at 10:50 a.m. and was immediately ushered to the President’s office.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • Benue Attack: Humanitarian crises overwhelm Guma LGA

    Benue Attack: Humanitarian crises overwhelm Guma LGA

    The Chairman, Guma Local Government Area, Mr Anthony Shawon, said the invasion of some villages in the council area has left a huge humanitarian and environmental crises that needed urgent intervention.

    Shawon said on Monday in Makurdi that the herders, who invaded Saav, Mbadyen and Uvir villages on January 1, had retreated to the forest of Dogon Yashi, stretching from Guma to Logo on the banks of river Benue, covering over 57km long.

    Shawon, who lamented the destruction of crops, farms and houses by the invaders, said survivors of the invasion had left their ancestral homes and were looking for shelter in nearby towns.

    He said the state government had approved the setting up of camps for the displaced persons but regretted that the few already established were overcrowded by the Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ).

    Read also: Support Open Grazing Prohibition law, Benue Reps beg Buhari

    “The camps at Guma and Gbajimba are overcrowded, but the Benue State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ) is already handling the situation because as a local government, the scale is beyond us.”

    He regretted that the invaders, who were hiding in the Dogon Yashi forest, were still attacking villages, burning down houses and destroying crops.

    Shawon said the attackers were still destroying crops kept in farms such as soya beans, yams, guinea corn and rice.

    “They are openly grazing on farms after which they set them on fire,” he alleged.

    The chairman, however, commended the men of the Nigerian Army for their quick intervention in quelling the crisis.

    He appealed to the army to enter into the forest and dislodge the herders there.

    He accused the Kabawa community in Guma of ferrying food to herdsmen in the forest in exchange for cattle.

    Shawon, however, disclosed that the Kabawa people who carried food to the herders had been arrested by the police in Abinsi.

    He, however, regretted that the herdsmen were still carrying out open grazing in spite of the anti open grazing law on an open stretch of land from Mbagwen to Lokobi in the Local Government Area.

    According to him, that place is still open for invasion as the herdsmen are still doing open grazing there.

    Meanwhile, Gov. Samuel Ortom has set aside Thursday, January 11 for the mass burial of the 71 victims of the invasion while Tuesday and Wednesday had been declared days of mourning.

    The flag will fly at half mast while government offices will close at 1 p.m.

    NAN

  • Ortom declares three-day mourning for victims of herdsmen attacks

    Ortom declares three-day mourning for victims of herdsmen attacks

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Monday declared three days of mourning for those killed in recent attacks on communities in Logo and Guma local government areas of the state.

    The mourning period will be from Tuesday to Thursday this week and ends with a church service for the victims at the IBB Square in Makurdi.

    This will be followed by mass burial of the victims.

    Flags will fly at half- mast during the period while offices will close at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    Thursday has been declared a work-free day in the state.

  • Herdsmen attacks: Ortom calls for harmony among ethnic groups in Benue

    Herdsmen attacks: Ortom calls for harmony among ethnic groups in Benue

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has called for harmony among the diverse ethnic groups in the state to put an end to the seemingly endless attacks by herdsmen on communities.

    Ortom, who said this on Saturday in Makurdi while intimating the people on the incessant attacks on Benue people by herdsmen, decried the huge loss of lives and property.

    The governor said that he would henceforth give priority attention to safeguarding the lives and the property of his people.

    He called on the people to put aside their political and ethnic differences and work toward addressing the security challenges before them

    He vowed to ensure that the incessant attacks by herdsmen became things of the past.

    Ortom, who expressed regret that a significant number of lives had been destroyed by Fulani marauders since 2012, put the estimated cost of the property lost since then at N95 billion.

    The Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, His Lordship, William Avenya, said that the incessant attacks on Benue communities by herdsmen, was a sensitisation to the people of Benue to the need to unite and forge a common front.

    The cleric further said that the attacks were providing an opportunity for the people to come together and reflect on their common challenges particularly, insecurity.

    He called all Benue stakeholders to all hands on deck to address the situation.

    Also, the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese, His Lordship, Michael Apochi said that they would continue to pray for the state to enable it surmount its security challenges.

    The Convener, Northern Elders Forum, Mr Paul Unongo, said that herdsmen were committing murder with impunity.

    He, however, said that the “dastardly act” needed to stop forthwith.

    Unongo said that there was no land for grazing in Benue and that the anti-open grazing law would not be reversed or repealed no matter the circumstances.

    Also read :  Benue youths protest killings

  • Over 40,000 persons displaced in Benue gunmen attack – SEMA

    Over 40,000 persons displaced in Benue gunmen attack – SEMA

    Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said over 40,000 persons had been displaced following the recent gunmen attack in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

    The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Mr Emmanuel Shior told news men in Makurdi on Friday that the agency had opened four camps for the displaced persons in the affected areas.

    Shior disclosed that Gov. Samuel Ortom had been extremely worried over the plight of the people.

    “As we speak over 40,000 persons have so far been displaced as a result of the attacks on our people in Guma and Logo LGAs.

    “Government has decided to open four camps, three in Guma LGA and one in Logo LGA, the camps in Guma LGA are in Daudu, Gbajimba and Agasha, while the camp in Logo LGA is in Ugba,” he said.

    Read Also: 20 killed, 30 injured in Benue by herdsmen 

    Shior said that the state government decided to locate the camps in areas considered safest in the LGAs for security reasons.

    “The camps are in areas that are safe and enough security has being provided for the safety of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    “What we are doing at the moment is to open temporary camps except the one in Daudu that already has existing camp facilities, the others camps are situated in primary schools located in the areas.

    “We do not hope to keep them in the camps for a long time, remember this is January and most of the affected persons are farmers who are still harvesting their crops,” he said.

    Shior said that government was concerned about the security of the people and their communities to enable them to return  back to their homes instead of staying in the camps.

    He assured the IDPs that though they were displaced they were not misplaced as government and his agency would do everything possible to give them minimum comfort.

  • Community lauds anti-open grazing law in Benue

    Community lauds anti-open grazing law in Benue

    Some prominent residents of Mbakyoondu in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue says the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition law enacted in the state will guarantee security.

    The residents made the observation when Mr Terver Wever, Group Head, Real Estate and Infrastructure Development of Benue Investment and Property Company, hosted them on Tuesday as part of activities to mark the end of 2017.

    According to them, the law, enacted by Gov. Samuel Ortom recently, will prevent further clashes among herdsmen and farmers.

    They described the law as the best thing that had happened to the state to stem the wave of insecurity across the state.

    Mrs Nancy Yeke, a councilor in the ward, expressed joy, noting that the enactment of the law was a landmark achievement of the Ortom’s administration.

    Read also: NNPC chief: investor soon for Benue bio-fuel plant

    Another resident, Mama Mwarga Chia, a widow, appreciated Wever’s decision to help the needy during the New Year’s celebration, asking the community members to pray for him.

    In his comments, Wever highlighted some of the achievements of Ortom’s administration that had direct bearing on the people.

    He said the administration had introduced unified sacks as standard of measurement for farm produce to discourage traders from exploiting farmers.

    He also urged the youth in the community to acquire skills to be self-reliant and boost the state’s economy.

    The high points of the occasion included cash donations, bags of rice, a cow and cloths, among other food items.

    NAN

  • Fulani herdsmen kill 50 in Benue attack

    Fulani herdsmen kill 50 in Benue attack

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said on Tuesday that 50 persons were killed and many others injured after Fulani herdsmen attacked a Tiv community in the state.

    Ortom, who addressed journalists at the Government House in Makurdi, blamed the Federal Government for not protecting the people.

    “The blood of those people killed by the Fulani herdsmen are on the hands of the federal government and if nothing is done they will cry unto God,” the governor said.

    He said the federal government was alerted on the threat of the herdsmen who had vowed to resist the anti- grazing bill enacted by the state government.

    The governor said nine livestock guards were killed and their Hilux patrol van razed in the attack.

    During Tuesday’s attack, many people were slaughtered, children killed, and several had their hands chopped off.

    A 30- year -old lady, Dooshima Anande, told The Nation that her brother who finished his youth service few days ago was killed in the attack.

     

     

  • Buhari only advised governors to pay workers’ salaries – Ortom

    Buhari only advised governors to pay workers’ salaries – Ortom

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari did not order state governors to pay workers’salary arrears before Christmas.

    Ortom, who stated this during an interactive session with members of the Correspondent chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Government House, Makurdi,  said the President only advised  the governors to use  50 percent of the remaining Paris Club refund to pay workers so that they would enjoy Christmas .

    “I don’t know where the stories about Mr. President s directing governors to clear salary arrears before Christmas is coming from. But I think the media got it wrong,” the governor said.

  • Benue governor tasks youth on self-reliance

    Benue governor tasks youth on self-reliance

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has advised the people, especially youths, to venture into commercial activities to be self-reliant as white collar jobs were difficult to come by.

    Ortom gave the advice on Monday in Makurdi while inauguration Benysta Microfinance Bank, built by a front line politician in the state, Mr Asema Achado.

    “Since white collar jobs were not forthcoming, commerce and agriculture remained the only way out.

    “There are no more white collar jobs from the federal, state and local governments, hence the need for alternative means of livelihood.

    “My administration will create the enabling environment for business and agricultural activities to thrive, to encourage many people to venture into them to better their lots.

    “I want to commend Achado for keying into the vision of my administration which is anchored on private sector driven economy’’, he said.

    Achado disclosed that as the Chairman of the bank, he could not give authority note to anybody to access loan facility from the bank because he was warned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Read Also: NNPC to select core investor for Benue bio-fuel project – Baru

    Achado, also the President, Benue Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (BECCIMA), said that if he violated the rule, he would be removed from his position by the CBN.

    “I cannot even surety anyone, anybody that wants to access loans from the bank should contact other personalities to surety them,’’ he said.

    The Vice President, BECCIMA, Mr Mhii Aii-Yenge, described  Achado as a wonderful entrepreneur who had done remarkable things for the development of Benue.

    Aii-Yenge prayed God to continue to give him the the strength to soar higher.

    The Chairman, Gwer Local Government Area Traditional Council, Chief Dominic Akpe, thanked Achado for initiating the people-oriented project that would put smiles on the faces of the community.

    NAN