Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state yesterday said he will report
Senator George Akume to the Supreme Assembly of the Tiv Area
Traditional Council over accusations that the state government was
behind killings in the state.
Ortom who stated this yesterday at Tyulen in Guma local government
area, noted that since the senator had chosen to tell President
Muhammadu Buhari that militia herdsmen were not behind the massacre of
Benue people, it implied that he has adequate knowledge about the
killings and should explain to the traditional council in detail.
He described as shocking and unfortunate, Senator Akume’s utterances
which were clearly in favour of enemies of the state.
The governor wondered why a man who is expected to provide leadership
to the younger generation had chosen to take sides with those who have
vowed to deprive his people of their ancestral lands.
He said the conduct of Senator Akume and those who followed him to
denigrate their state in Abuja will be recorded as a sore point in the
development of the state’s polity.
According to him, the action of the senator must be recorded for
posterity so that generations yet unborn will know that a time came
when the existence Benue as a people was threatened and some leaders
turned against us for the realization of their narrow interests.
He reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to the
implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches
Establishment Law which has been adjudged as the best solution to
frequent crisis arising from animal husbandry.
Governor Ortom challenged anyone with a better solution to the
herdsmen/farmers crisis tocome out with it.
progresses.
