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Tag: Ortom

  • Buhari not silent on killer herdsmen, Presidency tells Ortom

    Buhari not silent on killer herdsmen, Presidency tells Ortom

    The Presidency on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on the issue of killer herdsmen is that anyone caught with illegal arms should be arrested and tried, spokesman Femi Adesina said on Tuesday.

    Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina revealed this during an interview on a monitored Channels Television programme. He was reacting to recent comments made by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ortom had said the President was silent over the issue of armed herdsmen causing havoc across the country.

    “If the Governor would say he hasn’t heard the President speak on that matter, that’s what he should make clear; it’s not that the President hasn’t spoken,” Mr. Adesina said.

    “Because the number of times the President has spoken on that issue . . . and his position has always been the same: anybody, whoever he is, that carries arms unlawfully should be arrested and prosecuted. The President has said it countless times.”

    However, when asked how many herdsmen have been arrested in recent times, Mr. Adesina said “I don’t have that figure at my fingertips . . . but I know that a lot of people are awaiting trial.”

    Clashes between farmers and herdsmen have escalated this year, especially in the southwest where quit notices were delivered to people of Fulani extraction.

    Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje, recently suggested that ranching was the solution to the phenomenon of herdsmen moving across the country with cattle.

    Reacting to the Governor’s suggestion, Mr Adesina said all suggestions should be discussed.

    He also pointed to the Federal Government’s Ruga program, which was rejected by some states.

    “Nigeria is a peculiar country where the federal government has no land,” he said. And if states say they have no land for ranches, then another solution has to be found.

    “So we need to discuss these things and appraise them critically until we can get to what we can call ‘the’ solution.”

  • Ortom threatens legal action against spokesman of Fulani over comment on Benue killings

    Ortom threatens legal action against spokesman of Fulani over comment on Benue killings

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has called for the arrest and questioning of a self-acclaimed spokesman of Fulani groups and All Progressive Congress, APC, chieftain, Garus Gololo over alleged comments on Benue killings.

    Mr. Gololo had recently alleged that Governor Ortom was sponsoring attacks on Fulanis residing in Benue state. Piqued by the allegation, the Governor demanded an apology and retraction.

    A statement from the Governor on Sunday in Makurdi by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, alleged that Mr. Gololo had not been new to such false and malicious statements after his request to be appointed a Special Adviser in Benue state was turned down.

    “Since Governor Ortom turned down his request to be made Special Adviser preferring to appoint another Fulani man as his aide, Gololo has launched ceaseless campaign of calumny and blackmail against the Governor.

    “In January 2018, shortly after armed herdsmen attacked communities in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas, LGAs, killing 73 people, Garus Gololo came out on behalf of the armed Fulani groups and accepted responsibility for the massacre alleging that the attacks were in retaliation for their cows which he claimed were rustled.

    “Security reports however later proved that no Fulani cow was rustled before the 2018 attacks. “Contrary to his recent claim, there is no attack on a Fulani person in any part of Benue State. All law abiding Fulanis are living in peace with other Benue people.

    “We therefore expect security agents to arrest for prosecution, this harbinger of mayhem whose only trade is raising false alarms to throw the society into crisis.

    “Gololo is closely working with other enemies of the State and he surely has questions to answer regarding the frequent attacks on innocent Benue people.

    “In the meantime, Gololo has 48 hours to prove the accusation he leveled against Governor Ortom, failure of which he should tender a public apology to the Governor or face legal action.

    “The Governor urges people of the State and other Nigerians to disregard the alarm and continue to support security operatives with timely and useful information to guarantee the safety of lives and property,” part of the statement read

  • Ortom’s Chief of Staff suspends 2023 campaign

    Ortom’s Chief of Staff suspends 2023 campaign

    Mr Terwase Orbunde, Chief of Staff to Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, says he has suspended his campaign for the Government House in 2023, incompliance with the directive of the governor.
    This is contained in a statement by Orbunde on Saturday in Makurdi.

    “On Wednesday, Feb. 3, my principal and Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, directed that all his appointees nursing political ambition to succeed him in 2023 should put such on hold until the appropriate time or resign.

    “The governor said that what is needed at the moment is concentration to deliver quality service to the people of the state so as to justify his second term mandate.

    “Politicking by my aides at this time constitutes a distraction,” he said.

    Orbunde said that as someone who believed that power come from God, he had accepted to comply with the directive.

    “I accept to comply with Ortom’s directive as my principal and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “I appreciate the enviable vantage position in which the governor has graciously put me to make inputs into his administration which I have been privileged to make since 2015.

    “I wish to utilise the opportunity given to me by stretching my capacities to the fullest, at the moment to assist Ortom in his efforts to develop the state until that appropriate time,” he said.

    He appealed for understanding and support from those who wished him well in the light of the development.

  • Ortom drags Oshiomhole, APC back to court as N10bn as settlement talks suffer setback

    Ortom drags Oshiomhole, APC back to court as N10bn as settlement talks suffer setback

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has dragged former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and the party back to a Makurdi High Court asking for a date for definite hearing in the N10 billion libel suit he filed against them. This is as a result of the collapse of the out-of-court settlement talks between Ortom, Oshiomhole and the APC.

    Oshiomhole had sought an out-of-court settlement with Ortom, a move that was communicated to the court on October 13, 2020.

    The presiding judge, Justice Augustine Ityonyiman, adjourned the matter till October 29, 2020, for the report on the out-of-court settlement.

    After two adjournments, the last being on December 16, 2020, the case resumed yesterday for the report on the out-of-court settlement.

    Ladi Achibong, who held brief for Ortom’s counsel, Samuel Irabor, told the court that the out-of-court settlement had failed and that it appeared that the defendants were not serious about the proposed settlement.

    The lawyer said she had Irabor’s express instruction to ask the court to fix a date for definite hearing of the suit.

    But Titus Akuha, who held brief for counsel to Oshiomhole and the APC, Festus Jumbo, opposed Ortom’s lawyer’s submission.

    The lawyer said all the terms of settlement had been met, except one issue that was still pending.

    So, the settlement cannot be said to have failed, he insisted.

    After listening to counsel to the parties, Justice Ityoyiman adjourned the matter till February 26 for the report on the out-of-court settlement or the definite hearing.

  • Nine Ortom’s aides test positive for COVID-19

    Nine Ortom’s aides test positive for COVID-19

    The Benue Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, on Wednesday revealed that nine aides of Gov. Samuel Ortom had tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    Abounu, who made the disclosure in Makurdi during a press conference, said despite the number of aides that tested positive for the virus, all government activities were going on smoothly.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ortom had through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase, announced that his latest COVID-19 test result had returned positive.

    Abounu, the State Chairman of Action Committee on COVID-19, said the committee had already carried out contact tracing of those who came in contact with all those infected by the virus.

    He said though nine aides tested positive for COVID-19, the pandemic had not affected the day-to-day running of government in the state.

  • Benue Governor, Ortom speaks on interest in 2023 presidential race

    Benue Governor, Ortom speaks on interest in 2023 presidential race

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State o Monday said he has no interest in vying for the 2023 presidential election.

    Ortom made the clarification in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Terver Akase on Monday in Makurdi.

    He appreciated his supporters and groups across the country, who were calling on him to join the 2023 Presidential race.

    The governor said that he was concentrating on delivering governance to Benue people at the moment.

    “I sincerely appreciate my supporters and interest groups who have taken to social media to call on me to join the 2023 presidential race.

    “However, I wish to state that my preoccupation at the moment is delivering good governance to the people of Benue,’’ the statement read in part.

    He particularly appreciated the Benue people for supporting his administration to succeed.

    A group under the aegis of ‘Project Ortomise Nigeria Ortomatically 2023’ has called on Ortom to join the 2023 Presidential race.

  • Benue govt imposes curfew on 2 LGs

    Benue govt imposes curfew on 2 LGs

    The Benue government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Ukum and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas as part of measures to address insecurity there.

    The north-central state’s Deputy Governor, Mr Benson Abounu, disclosed this at the end of a security council meeting on Wednesday in Makurdi.

    “The curfew will be from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. It is part of our efforts to tackle banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and general insecurity in the two local government areas,” Abounu told newsmen after the meeting.

    He said that the security council also resolved to ban the use of motorcycles in the two areas “pending further review of the security situation”.

    Abounu, however, stated that movement of patients and pregnant women for medical attention using motorcycles where there were no vehicular presence would be allowed “after thorough investigation”.

    He regretted that motorcycle operators were migrating to rural communities to cause mayhem and urged security agents to intensify surveillance in the hinterland.

    Speaking specifically on the ban on the use of motorcycles in Sankera area, he said it was necessitated by the persistent attacks on residents of Ukum and Katsina-Ala which led to many deaths.

    “The ban is 100 per cent successful,” he declared.

  • Herdsmen murder four in Benue community, Ortom reacts

    Herdsmen murder four in Benue community, Ortom reacts

    Gov Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Saturday said suspected herdsmen killed four persons at Tse-Angbande, Makurdi, the State Capital, on Friday night.
    Ortom stated this at Tse-Angbande, when he visited the village for an on-the-spot assessment of the impact of the attack that also left seven persons injured.
    He said the attack which took place at about 11 pm on Friday, led to the death of the head and some members of the Akwa family – Mr Emberga Akwa, Innocent Akwa, Terhemba Akwa and an in-law identified as Orban.
    Condemning the act, Ortom recalled that a few weeks ago, herders came without cattle and killed a husband and wife at Tse-Tyohemba, in the same axis of Makurdi, saying that security agents trailed and apprehended three of the assailants.
    He explained that seven persons were also injured and are at the Benue State Teaching Hospital (BUSTH), Makurdi, undergoing treatment.
    The governor said the security operatives are doing their best, adding that his administration will restrategise to mitigate the new pattern of attacks on the people.
    According to him, the attackers who came without cattle, attacked the village, killed and injured some of them and ran away.
    “We will meet with security agencies as a government and see how we can restrategise on how we can handle this guerrella attacks on our people.
    “Let me said that this will not be allowed. These are poor people struggling to earn a living through farming.”
    He assured the people that security has been beefed up to ensure 24 hours vigilance in the area to prevent a reoccurence of the ugly development and urged people to cooperate with security operatives.
    Ortom further commended President Mohammadu Buhari for directing security agencies to deal with all those behind insecurity in the country.
    Speaking to NAN, Patrick Ianna, 35, a villager, explained that it was after the shooting had subsided that they came back to discover dead bodies on the ground.
    He said the Community had no differences with herdsmen, adding that herders are not even staying within their Community.
    Also, Mrs Helen Waku, another villager, told newsmen that she and her husband ran and abandoned their five children during the attack, but were lucky to find them alive and unhurt after the attack.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the governor also visited the injured victims in the hospital and pledged to foot their bills and assist in the burial of the deceased.
  • Don’t reverse ban on rice importation – Ortom begs Buhari

    Don’t reverse ban on rice importation – Ortom begs Buhari

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue on Monday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the policy on ban of rice importation and not succumb to any pressure.

    The governor made the appeal in Makurdi when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed paid him a courtesy visit.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the minister was in Makurdi for formal take-off of the North-Central Zonal Headquarters of National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).

    The campus built by the state government was handed over to the minister on behalf of NIHOTOUR.

    During the visit, Ortom said the state as the food basket of the nation, commended the president and the Federal Government for the policy which helped in boosting rice production and agriculture in general in the state.

    “The ban on rice importation remains a major milestone in the development of agriculture in Benue. We want to appeal to the Federal Government to continue with the policy.

    “There might be hardship for a little while but farmers are smiling to their banks now compared to what used to happen. I have been into farming since 1984 and I m a living witness to this development.

    “Before now, when we cultivate rice, we were not able to sell even the cost of production but today things have changed. Just harvest, the market is already there,” he said.

    The governor said many youths had ventured into rice farming thereby solving the challenge of unemployment.

    He assured that with sustained encouraging policy and a value chain in the sector, Benue had the capacity to produce the staple food for the country.

    Ortom also urged the Federal Government to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide incentives for farmers and private investors in the value chain.

    The governor also thanked the president for the support to the state in addressing the challenge of insecurity.

    According to him, Benue is relatively calm in terms of security because of the adequate security apparatus provided by the Federal Government.

    He said the issue of farmers-herders clashes had been reduced to the barest minimum with the help of the laws passed by the state banning open grazing.

    Ortom said with the support of the security agencies, no fewer than 400 herdsmen had been arrested for infraction out of which 140 had been convicted.

    He appealed to the Federal Government to help the state in the relocation of internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict to their homes.

    Earlier, the minister hailed the governor’s efforts in agriculture and in tourism development.

    He specifically thanked the governor for keeping his promise in donating the edifice for the institution.

  • Ortom replies APC leaders mounting pressure on him to dump PDP

    Ortom replies APC leaders mounting pressure on him to dump PDP

    Gov. Samuel Ortom says he has no plan to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) which he left for the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) to win a second term as Benue governor.

    This is contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Terver Akase, and newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday.

    According to the statement, although, the governor was contacted by some notable persons to dump the PDP he, however, declined the invitation.

    “We have read some mischievous statements by members of the opposition in Benue State insinuating that Gov. Samuel Ortom plans to rejoin All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “Those involved in the impish allegation are clearly doing so to soothe their stuck-up apprehensions.

    “Why will Gov. Ortom return to APC? To do what?

    “It is true that the governor was contacted by some notable persons to defect from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but he declined the invitation.”

    The statement further explained that Ortom, who is the leader of the PDP in the North Central, had robust relationship with other leaders of the party within the region and needed not to leave the party.

    “Gov Ortom is the leader of PDP in North Central Nigeria, and he is enjoying a robust relationship with other leaders of the party in Benue State and the entire region.

    “It is, therefore, ridiculous for anyone to insinuate that the governor has the intention to leave PDP.”

    The statement advised the young men “peddling the hang-about rumour to take advantage of the numerous entrepreneurial opportunities the Ortom administration had created “to engage in rewarding ventures and shun falsehood.”