•••AS ORTOM CHARGES BENUE INDIGENES TO DEFEND THEMSELVES
The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday, called on all the residents and indegenes of the state to defend themselves amidst the renewed fresh provocative attack by alleged Fulani herders.
The angry and devastated Ortom was reacting to the gruesome massacre of more than 23 persons in fresh attacks on two communities by the invading Fulani herdsmen on Monday night.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nathaniel Ikyur, said, the Governor directed his people to rise up and defend themselves forthwith.
The assailants stormed Mbadwem in Guma Local Government Area and mowed down eight persons from where they moved to Tiortyu in Tarka Local Government Area of Benue state and murdered 15 persons on Monday night.
According to the statement, scores of others were injured and are receiving treatment in unnamed hospital in the state.
The statement further stated that Ortom who could not hide his anger said that it is becoming increasingly glaring everyday that his people are now killed like fowls.
“My people are now an endangered specie and so we can no longer wait for help from anywhere. My people will have to rise up to the occasion to defend themselves and their heritage against the Fulani army of occupation.
“We are law abiding citizens. We have cried for help against these invaders but nothing is forthcoming. We are left alone and it looks like it is a deliberate strategy. Now we have only one option; to defend ourselves or get extinct. This is a case for our survival.
“We have been accommodating of other people in our land but our hospitality is misconstrued as weakness. We are not a conquered people. We will never be. We are free born citizens of Nigeria”, the Governor declared.” He stated.
Governor Ortom, nevertheless, charged the security operatives to do more in crime prevention and protection of lives and property in the land.
He urged the people to cooperate with security agencies to flush out the undesirable elements in the society.
According to him, the state government would not shy away from its commitment to provide welfare and the security for the citizens.
