Benue Killings: Angry Ortom says “I didn’t become Governor to preside over dead bodies”

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has said decried the incessant killing of the people of the state by Fulani herdsmen saying he didn’t become governor to preside over dead bodies.
Over the weekend, about 12 people were reportedly killed and scores injured in Binev council ward in Buruku local government area.
A visibly angry Governor who was speaking to newsmen this morning did not mince words to describe the killing as genocide and said there was a limit to which the people will heed to his appeals for calm.

“I didn’t become Governor to preside over dead bodies. No day passes without the blood of the innocent spilled by rampaging gunmen! Our people are being pushed too far by herdsmen!
“The old and the young have been slaughtered, children separated from their parents and many people chased out of their homes to sleep in the bush without food to eat.
” This is genocide and I call on all Nigerians to condemn the invasion, killings, destruction and occupation of Benue communities by herdsmen.”
Governor Ortom restated that they were no room for grazing reserves in the state and urged the Federal government to jettison such an idea.
“I repeat that Benue has no land for grazing of cattle! As a government, we are ready to support the ranching of cattle” He emphasised.
Meanwhile, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has banned the movement of cattle into the state by herdsmen, saying that there is tension in the state over activities of the herdsmen in the country.
Governor Umahi disclosed this during a security meeting with security chiefs in the state at the state Police Command, noting that the state will enact laws that will restrict movement of cattles and other animals such as goat and chicken.
Leaders of Hausa community in the southeast region were also in attendance during the meeting.
Umahi added that the old timers who have resided in the state for years and were rearing cattle should do that within a place because movement of cattles from place to place would stop immediately.
He said it has been observed that the herdsmen who moved their cattles from place to place were the ones posing security threat and not the innocent Hausa/Fulani brothers who have settled in the state for years.
He said as the chief security officer of the state, he was concerned about the life of every Nigerian living within and outside the state and had the duty to always strive to protect it including lives of those who are not Nigerians.
He said there was need to nip the situation in the bud to prevent an escalation.
“Every state must put in place what will guarantee peace for both indigenes and non indigenes.
“So that is a directive this afternoon and I want security agencies to take note because there is high tension now in Ebonyi state”, Gov Umahi said.