Lately, the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has been in the news, especially over the insecurity situation across the country that is fast degenerating. Recall that the state had its share of the bloodletting occasioned by the clashes between farmers and herders in various parts of the state. The security crisis was part of what led to his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018.
The governor later said one of the major reasons he had to defect was due to the opposition of some APC bigwigs to the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. He further accused the officials of the APC of making various attempts to frustrate the policy that was meant to proffer lasting peace between farmers and herders in the state.
In spite the legislation, there are still reported cases of clashes and bloodletting in the state between farmers and the herders.
Recently, the governor accused President Buhari-led Federal Government of handling cases of attacks by herdsmen with bias. He reminded the president that the country belongs to Nigerians not a particular ethnic group, and he charged the FG to act fast.
“From North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, South-South there is general insecurity and this is being propelled by herdsmen,” Ortom said while speaking to journalists in Markudi.
The governor, who also pointed accusing finger at Miyetti Allah, the sociocultural group of the Fulani herders, said the group has questions to answer concerning increasing crime allegedly carried out by herders across the country.
“I want to repeat it again and I have made a petition to the presidency and to all security agencies before that if they want peace, Miyetti Allah must be arrested.
“These are people who have owned up. They have taken responsibility that they have killed they maimed, they rape and yet their leadership is in Abuja and nobody is confronting them,” Governor Ortom said.
Recalled that the Governor of Ondo State, Olurotmi Akeredolu had ordered the herder out of the forest reserves in the state due to atrocities allegedly perpetrated by the herders. Also Sunday Adeyemo popularly called Sunday Igboho, gave the herders in Igangan area of Oyo state seven days ultimatum to leave the area after which he led youths in the area to chase the herders out. The incident led to destruction of properties allegedly worth millions.
