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Tag: Ortom

  • Why I won’t stop criticizing Buhari, APC – Ortom

    Why I won’t stop criticizing Buhari, APC – Ortom

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Thursday said his decision to speak about issues affecting majority of Nigerians will continue until the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) rise up to their responsibilities.

    The Benue governor spoke on Thursday at the commissioning ceremony of the 65km Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin which held at Akinyele local government secretariat, Moniya, Ibadan.

    He said “Oyo and indeed the Yoruba nation have always stood with and supported the oppressed and have always been the voice of the oppressed in the country right from the inception.

    “That is what I stand for. I seek for justice, equity and fairness. For those who feel that Samuel Ortom is talking too much, I want to appeal to them, to give me justice, give our people justice, give our people fairness and ensure equity. I promise you that I will never say anything again.”

    He called on the APC led federal government to rise up and give leadership to the country noting that the situation of things was not as bad as it is today when the party took over reigns of affairs in 2015.

    “Let me once again call on the APC led Federal Government to rise up and give leadership. Our people are in pains.

    “From the North-East, North Central, North-West, South-South, South East and Southwest, everyone is faced with security challenges. Without security, there can be no meaningful development except in PDP controlled states.

    “I want to challenge the APC in this country because they have failed. Economically, security wise, socially and politically, the APC government is in deficit.

    “Government is all about providing security for lives and property. Government is about providing infrastructure like the one we are doing here today.

    “Today, I am here in Oyo state, my brother (Makinde) was in Adamawa; a PDP controlled state earlier to commission project and lay foundation. Go to Rivers state, everyday what you see is laying of projects or commissioning of project, the same thing in Bauchi state, go to Sokoto and other PDP controlled states, you will see development. That is what leadership is and that is what the people of Nigeria are yarning for,” he said.

    While commending the host Governor Seyi Makinde on his efforts, he urged him never to contemplate leaving the people but work with them and do what they want to feel their pains.

    He added “I commend my brother, that within the spate of two years, we are here to commission among others, a 65km of roads duly asphaltic with a guarantee of 20 years. I congratulate you my brother.

    “And I believe and trust that he will do more for the people of the state. I commend Oyo people for giving him the backing and support.

    “Don’t ever contemplate on leaving your people, work with them, do what they want, feel their pains, share their pains and also give them leadership that will lead them out of their pains.”

    Earlier in his remark, Governor Makinde accused the immediate past administration of using jargon to deceive the people all in their effort to embezzle funds.

    He recounted that the project was earlier awarded at a cost of N7billion by the immediate past administration who also paid N2billion to the control that could not do anything about the road for about two years.

    He said he had to terminate the contract and re-awarded at a higher cost because of some other things factored into the construction.

    He also disclosed that he had succeeded in recovering N1billion from the initial contractor, threatening that he would likewise recover the huge amount of money spent on the Ologuneru-Eruwa road.

    Makinde said “Although a contract for rehabilitation of this road was awarded by the previous administration, our initial inspection visits in 2019 revealed that the contractors had not even done 5 percent of the work here before abandoning it. We therefore had to revoke and re-award the contract.

    “Well, the immediate past administration, they had a language they use when they want to embezzle money, they use the word ‘limited rehabilitation’, so a contract was awarded for the limited rehabilitation of this road for N7billion.

    “Before we came, they already paid N2billion and they gave the contract to one Oladiran Associate. They didn’t do anything serious for over two years and they collected N2billion but I recovered N1billion from the money.

    “So, when we awarded the road for N9billion, they accused us that the road they approved for N7billion, we awarded for N9billion that we don’t know what we are doing.

    “In the same manner, they awarded Ologuneru-Eruwa road for N10billion on Limited Rehabilitation. You all can go there to see the level of work done. They already paid N6billion out of the N10billion but as I have recovered N1billion on this Moniya-Iseyin road, I will also recover the money on the Ologuneru-Eruwa road too.”

    The event was attended by top government functionaries.

    Highpoint of the event was the cutting of the tape of the road by Governor Ortom, cultural presentation by dancers both from Benue and Oyo among other things.

  • JUST IN: Gunmen kill Ortom’s Principal Senior Assistant on Special Security, Ex-AIG Christopher Dega

    JUST IN: Gunmen kill Ortom’s Principal Senior Assistant on Special Security, Ex-AIG Christopher Dega

    A Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and the Principal Senior Special Assistant on Special Security to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has been killed by gunmen in Jos.

    According to reports ex-AIG, Dega Chris was shot in the chest several times until he bled to death.

    Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the incident noting that it occurred on Monday night a few minutes after the victim arrived in Jos.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Edward Egbuka said preliminary investigation revealed that the Retired Assistant Commissioner who left Makurdi was trailed to Jos where he was shot.

    He said the incident occurred at Anguldi area of Bukuru in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State at about 8:30 pm on Monday

    According to him, some suspects connected to the murder have been arrested and are in police custody while investigations are ongoing to fish out perpetrators.

    More details later…

  • Open grazing ban: Ortom knocks Buhari for questioning Southern Governors’ decision

    Open grazing ban: Ortom knocks Buhari for questioning Southern Governors’ decision

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Tuesday condemned the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government over its stance on open grazing ban by Southern Governors.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Presidency had on Monday faulted the recent resolutions of the Southern Governors, including the ban on open grazing in the entire southern part of the country.

    A statement signed by Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said the Governors’ resolutions failed to provide any solution to the lingering crisis between farmers and herders in the country.

    Instead, the statement added, President Buhari has “commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the States, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements.”

    But the Benue State Governor, in a statement signed by spokesman Terver Akase, said the insistence on open grazing reserves was curious.

    “We find the move not only shocking and curious but also as a misplaced priority,” the Ortom statement said.

    “At a time the country is worried about the worsening security situation and many Nigerians are calling for national dialogue to address the fundamental issues that have led to the present state of affairs, the Federal Government considers the reopening of cattle grazing routes as the only solution available to it.”

    The Governor faulted the Federal Government’s plan to commence rehabilitation work on grazing reserves in the country next month.

    Ortom recalled that the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) had met on February 9 and agreed that the current system of herding mainly by open grazing is no longer sustainable, in view of the growing urbanisation and population of the country.

    While noting that the Forum consequently resolved to sensitize herders on the need to adopt ranching as the new method of animal husbandry, Ortom said the 17 Governors of Southern Nigeria also met on May 11 in Asaba and banned open grazing in the entire region.

    The Southern Governors, the Benue leader added, adopted ranching as the alternative method of rearing animals.

    He added, “As it stands, the Presidency is the lone hand pushing for the continuation of open grazing and the return of cattle routes of 1950s and 60s. The Presidency has, by its endorsement of open grazing, emboldened armed herders who lay claim to all lands in Nigeria as belonging to Fulani, hence their invasion of farming communities and killing of original owners of such lands.

    “The fact must be established that grazing reserves or cattle routes are no longer tenable in the 21st century when Nigeria’s population far exceeds that of the fifties at a time these routes were contemplated.

    “At present, the routes have been taken over by airports, roads, schools, hospitals, as well as markets, houses and other human activities. The country’s land mass has also reduced to less than 923 square kilometers with the excision of Bakassi to Cameroon. Besides, the international best practice of animal husbandry is ranching; and that’s the stand of Benue State.”

  • Defend yourselves against armed invaders, Ortom tells benue people

    Defend yourselves against armed invaders, Ortom tells benue people

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, on Monday, urged residents of the state to defend themselves against armed invaders who stormed their communities to kill people.

    Ortom, who made the remark while reacting to questions from journalists on his arrival in Makurdi from Oyo State where he attended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ meeting, said people need to rise up against unnecessary invasion of their homes by intruders suspected to be armed herders.

    Meanwhile, forum of PDP governors at the end of their meeting, held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, which was chaired by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, issued a six-point communiqué, where it insisted that ranching be adopted as permanent solution to the herders/farmers clashes in the country.

    The governors also reiterated the call for restructuring and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to summon meeting of the Nigerian Police Council and devolve more powers to states to douse the tension in the country and curb insecurity besetting it.

    The meeting presided over by the PDP governors’ forum chairman and attended by 10 of his colleagues as well as the Zamfara State deputy governor, Mahdi Gusau, equally charged the National Assembly to immediately amend the Constitution to give effect to devolution of powers and state policing.

    Apart from Ortom, other governors in attendance were Governors Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

    Others were Governors Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau. States not represented were Abia, Cross River and Taraba.

    Having reviewed the state of the nation, the PDP governors called on President Buhari to send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to devolve powers to states with respect to security architecture that will give birth to state police.

    They said: “In the interim, Mr President should summon an immediate meeting of the Nigerian Police Council, which comprises Mr President and all state governors and other critical stakeholders to evolve and implement strategies to combat the present threats to our union, especially with respect to policing. The meeting agreed that the Police Force still remains the appropriate institution to secure our democracy and should not be subjected to personal attacks. The welfare, training, equipment, funding of all security agencies should be given priority.”

    The governors also threw their weight behind Southern Governors on the need to adopt ranching and restructuring of the country, adding that various civil institutions must be reformed to enhance efficiency.

    They said: “The meeting supports the earlier position taken by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Northern Governors Forum and recently by the Southern Governors’ Forum to adopt ranching as the most viable solution to the herders/farmers clashes in Nigeria; the restructuring of the Nigerian federation to devolve more powers and functions to the states; and reform of various civil institutions to achieve efficiency and equity for all sections of Nigeria.”

    It called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) “to take bold and deliberate steps to de-escalate and lower tensions in our country, and concentrate on projects and policies that will enhance and promote national unity and cohesion.”

    Announcing the objective of the meeting earlier, Tambuwal said the situation in the country calls for everyone who is committed to the Nigerian State to put hands on deck, not only in prayers but also in action by working together to rescue this country.

    Tambuwal said: “That is the promise the PDP is holding for Nigeria, by the grace of God, come 2023. We are on a salvation mission; and it is part of the reasons why we institutionalise this meeting.”

    Host governor, Oluseyi Makinde, described the ruling APC as a party without the requisite national spread. “This is the difference between our party, PDP and the APC. If they try to have such a meeting they will not have a representative from the South-So

  • FG’s removal of history from school curriculum is evil agenda – Ortom

    FG’s removal of history from school curriculum is evil agenda – Ortom

    Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has described as evil, the removal of history as a subject from secondary and primary school curriculum by the Federal Government.

    Speaking on Friday in Makurdi, the state capital, the governor said Benue State will legislate a solution for the teaching of History even if it’s for internal consumption of knowledge about how the people of Benue came to occupy what is today called Benue.

    “Removing history from our curriculum is an evil agenda. So, in our schools here even if we do it and it is not accepted for examinations to be conducted at the level of SSCE, let’s do Mock Exams, this will be within us. Because we must know our history, we must know how we came here.

    “We must know when we sojourned here and know people that came to join us. We must know what happened in 1800. All these are very important. If we don’t do it, we have failed as a generation and posterity will not forgive us,” Ortom said.

    He also instructed that vernacular should be taught in Benue schools beginning from next academic session – September 2021 along with History as core subjects.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the removal of history studies from primary and secondary schools curriculum became effective from the 2009/2010 academic session with the Federal Government launching a new curriculum known as the New Basic Education Curriculum for primary and junior secondary schools.

    The decision was however met with criticism with many describing the reasons as mere excuses.

    Following the criticisms, in 2016, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced that the Federal Government is taking steps to restore history as a subject in primary and secondary schools’ curriculum.

  • Governors at war: ‘You are one of the real enemies of Nigeria’, Ortom fires back at El-Rufia

    Governors at war: ‘You are one of the real enemies of Nigeria’, Ortom fires back at El-Rufia

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Saturday took a swipe at his Kaduna counterpart, describing him as “one of the real enemies” of Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ortom was responding to a statement credited to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, where the latter reportedly accused the Benue Governor of attacking the federal government to cover for his failure to secure Benue state.

    “Nasir el-Rufai is a sycophant, ethnic champion and religious bigot who hates anyone who does not share the same faith with him,” a statement signed by Ortom’s spokesman, Terver Akase, said.

    “He is among the very few persons who have misled President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “El-Rufai is one of the real enemies of this country who do not hide their divisive tendencies by elevating nepotism and ethnicity above the good values that have held Nigeria together over the decades.”

    Communities in Benue have recently come under attack from suspected herdsmen prompting Ortom to accuse President Buhari of working with Fulani to take over Nigeria.

    The Presidency, in response to Ortom’s comment, has expressed disappointment in the Governor.

    Read Ortom’s full statement on El-Rufai:

    EL-RUFAI IS ONE OF THOSE WHO HAVE MISLED PRESIDENT BUHARI

    We read the statement credited to Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai in which he accused Governor Samuel Ortom of using the insecurity in his state to attack the Federal Government in order to cover up what he termed as the Benue State Governor’s failure.

    We want to believe that El-Rufai was wrongly quoted. A man who has failed in several aspects as Governor of Kaduna has no moral justification to accuse another Governor.

    A Governor who has divided the good people of Kaduna against one another by not hiding his hatred of indigenes of the state on account of religion and ethnicity is not qualified to judge another Governor on any issue whatsoever. A Governor who chose a Muslim deputy in a state where Christians have a huge population is certainly not one to preach unity and peaceful co-existence.

    El-Rufai’s attack on Governor Ortom is merely to make him look good before the Presidency. He has apparently fallen out of favour at the Villa and wants to use Governor Ortom as a launch pad back to reckoning. How has he handled his own problems in Kaduna? This is a man who has insulted almost every prominent Nigerian including the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and former President Olusegun Obasanjo; a man who is his former boss and one who brought him to limelight.

    Nigerians have not forgotten the unprintable things El-Rufai said during Goodluck Jonathan’s time as President. He insulted the then President and publicly supported terrorists attacking parts of the country. His statements on the abduction of Chibok girls and several other acts of terrorism are still fresh in our minds. El-Rufai is on record to have said repeatedly that Fulani people must retaliate any wrong done to them no matter how long it takes.

    Is Governor Ortom responsible for El-Rufai’s inability to ensure peace in Kaduna State where bandits have taken over some communities while kidnappings and killings occur on daily basis?

    El-Rufai admitted to paying Fulani herdsmen whom he invited from other West African countries in the name of stopping attacks in Southern Kaduna. Since he made the confessional statement, attacks on the people of Southern Kaduna have escalated. This is why he wants men of good conscience like Governor Ortom to be silent to pave way for the conquest and expansion agenda to succeed.

    Kidnapping has become a common crime in Kaduna State under Nasir el-Rufai.
    Aside the much celebrated cases, it has been estimated that at every given time, not less that 300 persons are abducted in Kaduna by kidnappers who are always identified as El-Rufai’s kinsmen. He pays them billions to embolden them. He has turned the state into one of the most unsafe places to live in Nigeria today.

    Talking about taking someone seriously, if other Nigerians take El-Rufai seriously, we in Benue do not do same. A man who has no regard for humanity does not deserve our attention.

    Nasir el-Rufai is a sycophant, ethnic champion and religious bigot who hates anyone who does not share the same faith with him. He is among the very few persons who have misled President Muhammadu Buhari. El-Rufai is one of the real enemies of this country who do not hide their divisive tendencies by elevating nepotism and ethnicity above the good values that have held Nigeria together over the decades.

    Nasir el-Rufai doesn’t possess the credentials to counsel anyone on payment of salaries and the welfare of workers. This is a Governor who recently sacked 4,000 workers for no just cause. He ought to be ashamed of himself. What happened to the lofty promises he made to Kaduna people in 2015?

    The Kaduna Governor should know that only two days ago, the people of Benue State met at a stakeholders meeting in Makurdi and unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ortom in recognition of his performance. That meeting was attended across party lines with leaders of All Progressives Congress, APC also present.

    El-Rufai and his conspirators must note that Benue State will not repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, no matter the amount of blackmail, hatred and threats they wage against Governor Ortom.

    We advise the Kaduna State Governor to focus on addressing the numerous problems he has created in his state and leave Governor Ortom to lead Benue in peace.

    Terver Akase
    Chief Press Secretary
    May 08, 2021.

  • Insecurity: Ortom attacks Buhari to hide his failure in Benue – El-Rufai

    Insecurity: Ortom attacks Buhari to hide his failure in Benue – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, says his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, uses the insecurity in his state to attack the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government in order to cover up his own failure.

    El-Rufai, therefore, stated that he no longer takes Ortom seriously.

    The Kaduna governor said this while responding to a video showing Ortom addressing protesters after some killings in Benue State.

    The video was played during a webinar organised by the Africa Leadership Group.

    Responding, el-Rufai said, “I did not hear what Governor Ortom said (in the video) but I know him and he is not somebody I take very seriously, frankly. He has other issues of governance that he is using the Federal Government as a punching bag to distract attention from his failures.

    “Go and find out how many months’ salaries are being owed teachers and public servants in Benue State then you can understand a lot of what Ortom is doing.”

    El-Rufai, however, admitted that there is a fundamental problem with the capacity of the Armed Forces and the police.

    “We have a serious national problem. I wouldn’t say we are totally helpless but we are in a situation where the Armed Forces and the police have lost significant confidence in themselves and their institutions,” he said.

    The governor said security agents need more weapons and there is a need to increase the number of operatives.

  • Benue Killings: Presidency frowns at Ortom’s unfounded accusations against President Buhari

    Benue Killings: Presidency frowns at Ortom’s unfounded accusations against President Buhari

    The Presidency has expressed disappointment and sadness over accusations being levelled against President Muhammadu Buhari by Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue following recent killings of soldiers and innocent citizens in the state.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, stated this in a statement in Abuja.

    According to him, no responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp.

    Shehu said the president said he was deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue but also in other parts of the country.

    He again directed members of the law enforcement agencies to go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.

    The presidential aide said: ”The lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which unfortunately appeared to be the intent of the string of emotional attacks and blame laid at the doors of the President for those killings by Gov. Ortom.

    ”President Buhari took an oath to defend the life and property of every citizen, a duty he takes seriously and is committed to ensuring.

    ”Those citizens regardless of their affiliations, who either incite, sponsor or are proven to be abettors of these atrocities will face the law squarely and be answerable for their crimes against our fellow citizens and nation.

    ”President Buhari continuously stresses that the strength of our country lies in our diversity in faith, culture, and traditions and attempts to sharpen the divide between northern and southern Nigeria, between Muslims and Christians, and between communities that have coexisted for centuries should be frowned upon and resisted.

    ”As Nigerians, we accuse colonial rulers of the policy of divide and rule. Today, it is our own leaders who put region against region, religion against religion, ethnic group against ethnic group and community against community.

    ”The future of Benue and indeed that of the entire country lies in harmony and the respect for law, order, and the constitution.

    ”It is the only way to achieve progress and development.”

    Shehu reassured that the president would continue to keep security, police and the armed forces on their toes to be on top of their act in troubled parts of the country.

    He, however, stated that the situation in the states would greatly be helped by everyone working together ”because that is the foundation on which progress and prosperity can be achieved.”

    He, therefore, stressed the need for the Ortom administration to cooperate with the Federal Government in the implementation of a number of national strategies and programmes aimed at addressing underlying issues militating against peace, progress and development.

    ”This can still get done when the interest of the people is placed above all other interests.

    A government voted into office by the people, should treat the people as its masters and not as its servants,” he added.

    Shehu quoted the president as expressing his condolences to the families of those citizens who lost their loved ones in the recent spate of killings in Benue.

    He said the president condemned the rising levels of incidents, especially the killings and violence in various parts of the country, and called for further collaboration with security agencies to curb its recurrence.

  • Killings: Presidency responds to Ortom’s ‘Buhari is only president of Fulani’ comments

    Killings: Presidency responds to Ortom’s ‘Buhari is only president of Fulani’ comments

    The presidency on Thursday night responded accusations levelled against President Muhammadu Buhari by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom over the insecurity in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Governor Ortom had on Tuesday accused President Buhari working for the Fulani ethnic stock to take over Nigeria.

    While reacting to the recent killing of residents allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen in parts of the North-Central state, Ortom said: “What is happening now, to me, is very clear; Mr President is just working for these Fulanis to take over the whole country.”

    “His body language is what is being played out. The body language, the action and inaction of Mr. President shows that he is only the President of Fulani people; I have known this.”

    He also lamented that no fewer than 70 people have been killed in the last two weeks in three local governments in the Benue State.

    But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, condemned Governor Ortom for blaming President Buhari for the deaths.

    Shehu berated the governor via a statement titled ‘Governor Ortom Only Sees The Problems Of Others, He Doesn’t See His Own,’ which he issued on Thursday.

    “The rising levels of incidents, especially the killings and violence in various parts of the country call for further collaboration with security agencies to curb its recurrence,” he said while accusing the Benue leader was politicising the killings.

    “The President expresses his condolences to the families of our dear citizens who lost their loved ones in the recent spate of killings in Benue State.

    “No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp.

    “President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.”

     

    See the full statement below:

    GOVERNOR ORTOM ONLY SEES THE PROBLEMS OF OTHERS, HE DOESN’T SEE HIS OWN

    The President expresses his condolences to the families of our dear citizens who lost their loved ones in the recent spate of killings in Benue State.

    Furthermore, he states that the rising levels of incidents, especially the killings and violence in various parts of the country call for further collaboration with security agencies to curb its recurrence.

    He also states his disappointment and sadness to hear Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State make a litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state.

    No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp. President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.

    The lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which unfortunately appeared to be the intent of the string of emotional attacks and blame laid at the doors of the President for those killings by Governor Ortom. President Buhari took an oath to defend the life and property of every citizen, a duty he takes seriously and is committed to ensuring.

    Those citizens regardless of their affiliations, who either incite, sponsor or are proven to be abettors of these atrocities will face the law squarely and be answerable for their crimes against our fellow citizens and nation.

    President Buhari continuously stresses that the strength of our country lies in our diversity in faith, culture, and traditions and attempts to sharpen the divide between northern and southern Nigeria, between Muslims and Christians, and between communities that have coexisted for centuries should be frowned upon and resisted. As Nigerians, we accuse colonial rulers of the policy of divide and rule. Today, it is our own leaders who put region against region, religion against religion, ethnic group against ethnic group and community against community.

    The future of Benue State and indeed that of the entire country lies in harmony and respect for the law, order, and the constitution. It is the only way to achieve progress and development.

    While the President will continue to keep security, police and the armed forces on their toes to be on top of their act in troubled parts of the country, the situation in the states will greatly be helped by everyone working together because that is the foundation on which progress and prosperity can be achieved.

    Benue under the Ortom administration ought to cooperate with the Federal Government in the implementation of a number of national strategies programs in addressing underlying issues militating against peace, progress and development. This can still get done when the interest of the people is placed above all other interests. A government voted into office by the people, should treat the people as its masters and not as its servants.

    Garba Shehu

    Senior Special Assistant to the President

    (Media & Publicity)

    April 29, 2021

  • Ortom bombs again: ‘Buhari’s action, inaction shows he is only President of Fulani people’

    Ortom bombs again: ‘Buhari’s action, inaction shows he is only President of Fulani people’

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of working for the Fulani tribe to take over Nigeria.

    He made the allegation on Tuesday in reaction to the recent killing of residents allegedly by herdsmen in parts of the state.

    “What is happening now, to me, is very clear; Mr President is just working for these Fulanis to take over the whole country.

    “His body language is what is being played out,” the governor alleged while condemning the activities of herdsmen in the state.

    He added, “The body language, the action and inaction of Mr President shows that he is only the President of Fulani people; I have known this.

    “We are becoming a banana republic, if we have a president who gave the security agencies order to shoot at sight, whosoever is having AK-47 and the Minister of Defence came out to say that they cannot shoot at sight… so who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces?”

    Governor Ortom insisted that the activities of herdsmen in the country must be condemned while the people should come together to hold the President to account.

    He decried that no fewer than 70 people have been killed in the last two weeks in three local governments of the state.

    This, he noted, was in addition to the recent attacks that left six people dead, while one of the several injured victims later died in the hospital.

    According to the governor, the people of Benue are being overstretched and running out of patience due to the incessant attacks on their communities.

    “Mr President must rise up, he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and over the 250 nationalities that are in this country; Mr President is their President, we all voted him.

    “He has taken oath of office to secure the country and provide security for lives and property; this is unacceptable, this cannot continue,” the visibly worried governor said.

    He added, “Mr President must rise up to address the nation himself, not Garba Shehu or any of his assistance. Mr President must tell us where we are going in this country, this is too much.”