Governor Samuel Ortom has condemned the federal government of pursuing secessionists such as Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu while ignoring Fulani bandits who murder, rape, and kidnap people across the country.
Ortom wondered why the government is not going after the Fulani militias and criminals terrorizing the entire country, especially Benue state, which he governs, in an interview with Channels Television.
The Governor said that a high government official came out and said that the Fulani militias are invisible, claiming that he perceives a lack of commitment on the side of the Federal Government in safeguarding the country’s security.
He said;
“I see a lot of lack of commitment on the part of the Federal Government in ensuring that we have security in this country. I will give an example: recently, the Federal Government has demonstrated the capacity by going after Nnamdi Kanu, who was leading IPOB. I am told he was even arrested in a foreign land with the cooperation of Interpol and so on.
“I heard that Sunday Igboho has been arrested. With that kind of commitment, it shows that the Federal Government has the capacity.
“Today, bandits, Fulani militia are terrorising the entire country, the country is in disarray and these Fulani militias have come out with video clips…and they have identified where they are. It was amazing that a top government official comes out to say that the Fulani militias are invisible. How? Are they spirits? Why is the government not going after these Fulani militias and bandits that are terrorising the entire country and terrorising my state?
“Just two days ago, two humanitarian workers were gunned down in my own village by these Fulani militias and their phones taken away. And the Fulani militias took the phones and when one of their (victims’) brothers called, they confirmed that they had killed them and they are in possession of their phones and that they should tell me to repeal the prohibition of open grazing otherwise they have the right to continue to kill since I said there would be no open grazing in Benue State.
“These people who are here, who are calling themselves bandits and are kidnapping our children from school, who are calling themselves Fulani militia and are killing people, driving them from their lands and taking over, why is the Federal Government not going after them like they went after Sunday Igboho and went after Nnamdi Kanu?”
Ortom insisted that the APC government has disappointed Nigerians, revealing that over 1.5 million people have been homeless in Benue State as a result of marauding attacks.
He said;
“APC has failed this country. Is it security, is it economically, politically and socially? Where are we today? We can’t go to our villages. How many Nigerians can move from Lagos to Kano, Abuja to their villages? It is a problem. APC has completely failed, so, why should I go there to join them? To do what?”
Freelanews is the editorial byline of Freelanews.com, used for staff reports, news updates, press releases, and collaborative stories produced by the Freelanews Editorial Team.
