Governor Ortom of Benue
State complain bitterly over an alleged plot by Fulani herdsmen to kill
him along the Makurdi/Laafia highway.
Governor Ortom who spoke
during an interactive session with the church, traditional institution and
other stakeholders towards peaceful elections in 2019, organised by the Makurdi
Catholic Diocese, and held at the Pastoral Centre, Makurdi, the Benue State
capital, said he received intelligence report about the plan to have him
kidnapped and murdered along Makurdi/Laafia road, which is the only route to
Abuja.
The Governor who said he
has reported the matter to the Police and other security agencies, said the
herdsmen further planned to kill all his security aides.
“The armed herdsmen,
according to the intelligence report, would ensure that all my security aides
were killed, after which they would kidnap and torture me before killing me.
“Already, I had reported
the matter to the Police and other security agencies and they are aware of
this.
“Therefore, anytime my spirit
doesn’t allow me to travel by road, I would call flight operators. But, just a
few days ago, the Federal Government has issued a circular directing that no
flight should land in Makurdi Airport again,” Ortom stated.
He further accused some
Benue indigenes of conniving with “forces in Abuja” to kill him. Punch reported
that over 306 traditional rulers, youths, members of the Catholic Women
Organisation and Catholic Men Organisation and other stakeholders were invited
for the meeting to educate them on a violence-free election ahead of 2019.
This is coming few days,
after The Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Adeyemi
Yekini, said troops had killed 21 herdsmen between Benue and Nasarawa states in
the last few weeks.
The Force Commander also
confirmed the death of a soldier and two others injured last Saturday, along
Gbamjimba-Akor-Tomata in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
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