Who targeted and shot at Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue State?

This is the billion Naira question rocking Benue State, even as Governor Samuel Ortom appears cocksure that he was attacked by Miyetti Allah militants.

His reason: The attack came a few days after the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore held a meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, during which he was singled out as being a thorn in their flesh and therefore must be eliminated.

He said that the attack on him took place in his farm situated in Tyo-mu, along the Makurdi-Gboko road.

Ortom said “I was inspecting the farm when suddenly, the militia herders, who dressed in black and had laid ambush for me and my security men, opened fire.”

But there are other sources claiming that the interplay of contending forces in Benue State made Ortom the target of local militia feeling betrayed by the Governor.

An Everyday.ng source disagreed with position that remnants of followers of Gana shot at the state chief executive.

“Except you say that the Gana boys employed the Fulani boys to do their bidding then you have to explain why it was Fulani boys that were felled in the shootout.”

“The security people are on the investigation and details will be released when necessary,” added the source who did not want his name in print, because he was not authorised to speak.

As the story goes, and as largely corroborated by the Governor, at about 10.00 a.m., Ortom had gone inspect his farm with a few security aides. To walk to the farm, the team disembarked from the three-car convoy.

Hardly had they stepped on the farm when strange men dressed in black appeared. It was an ambush. A firefight ensued and the governor took to his heels. He reportedly ran for about two kilometres, while his aides called for a reinforcement from ‘Operation Whirlstroke’ (OW) and other security agencies. Troops of OW were sent to maintain peace on the Taraba/Benue axis following incessant attacks between the Tiv and Jukun communities in both states.

When he briefed journalists in Government House, Makurdi, Ortom said that prior to the attack, he had received intelligence report that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, which met in Yola, Adamawa State, recently singled him for elimination.

“It took the swift response of my security aides to repel the attack, while I ran for a long distance to escape unhurt.”

The Governor said that his life was in the hands of God, adding that no Fulani militia had the power to take it without God’s permission.

“As many times as they will try, they would continue to fail since we are standing on the truth”

According to other media reports, the attack on Ortom is coming about two weeks after the gunning down of Dr Terkula Suswam, an elder brother to  the former governor of the State,  Senator Gabriel Suswam.

Fears, according to other sources, were being expressed on Saturday that the attack on Governor Ortom might have come from the same source or group that killed Terkula Suswam.

One of the media reports said: “The spectre of fear has characterised the political space of Benue since one Gana, who led a militia group that terrorised the state through their operations around Logo, Ukum and Katsina Ala axis was killed last year by the military.

“It was learnt that in getting Gana and his gang to come out of hiding late last year, former Governor Suswam had played a key role in reassuring them that the state government would grant them amnesty.

“Suswam had, as gathered, told them they would be free men once they surrendered to Governor Ortom who was waiting to receive them in Makurdi, the state capital.

“The military, as the narrative went, spoke to Ortom while the militants were assembling in Gboko en route Makurdi.

“Unfortunately, Ortom, as learnt, let out the information that once the guys congregated in Gboko under the guidance of Suswam, other political leaders and elders, they would be on their way to Makurdi.

“The military was said to have laid ambush for the convoy conveying the bandits. They reportedly, as claimed in some quarters, stopped the convoy on the way to Makurdi and conducted a vehicle-to- vehicle search, fishing out Gana from one of the cars.

“Gana was, as claimed, dragged out of the car and killed.

“With the tragic development, the remnants of Gana group had thought the incident was a set up by former Governor Suswam with the other militias vowing, as learnt,  to get back at Suswam.

“It was gathered that when they were informed it was Givernor Ortom who betrayed them, they added him to the hit list.

“A source who is familiar with the Benue development hinted that getting Suswam’s elder brother, Terkula, was a sampler of their grand agenda, adding that “today’s attack on Ortom was one of their targeted pay backs.”