Again, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom is insisting that communities in the state must take their destiny into their hands, stressing that “Everybody must be vigilant and acquire legal weapons prescribed by law to ward off the invaders.”
A day after his declaration in Idoma land, the Tiv Area Traditional Council condemned the coordinated and deliberate attacks on him by a group of Fulani elite led by deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.
The Council bared its mind on Monday in a 9-point resolution at the end of its supreme council meeting ‘Ijirtamen,’ held in Gboko, Ortom’s spokesman, Mr. Nathaniel Ikyur, said in a statement.
On Sunday, the governor specifically charged the people of Benue South senatorial district to be vigilant and on the alert to security issues within their area.
it is not the first time the Benue State Governor has advocated for citizens of the state to carry weapons to defend themselves against marauding terrorists, after a rash of attacks that have left many dead.
Ortom spoke on Sunday, at a Thanksgiving Mass in honour of Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Ekpe Ogbu held at St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, Utonkon in Ado local government area.
Chief Ogbu was kidnapped December 4, 2022 by alleged Fulani terrorists a few kilometers away from his village with his driver and two others.
Governor Ortom said in view of the looming insecurity in the state, there was the need for collective effort to tackle the challenge, emphasising that “The People of Zone C must stand up and support the Government to resist the invasion of our communities by Fulani herdsmen terrorists.”
He disclosed that those responsible for the kidnap of Chief Ogbu have been arrested and were facing prosecution.
Governor Ortom also stated that he would soon meet with the Idoma Area Traditional Council to review the security situation in the area in order to map out strategies to curtail the situation.
Ortom maintained that no one will stop him from speaking out against the atrocities perpetrated against the people of the state by Fulani terrorists, stressing that the society was too advanced for the crude approach deployed by the invaders whose sole agenda was to take over Benue ancestral lands.
He encouraged the people to sustain their support to security agencies posted to their area to enable them perform their duties.
The Governor stressed that the Community Volunteer Guards was to support community policing and urged the people to report any suspicious movements around their communities.
Governor Ortom described Chief Ogbu as a “Great son of Idomaland, a man who fears God and believes in equity, fairness and justice” noting that he has stood with him in his political journey and has never disappointed him.
He commended Chief Ogbu as a model and appreciated the community for supporting him, noting that they have had a cordial working relationship.
On the appeal by the celebrant over the state of Government College, Utonkon, the Governor said the State Government will liaise with the management of Benue State University with the view to making the college an outside campus of the University and directed the Commissioner to initiate a memo for the upgrade some blocks at the institution as a first step.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Ogbu said the celebration was to express gratitude to God for sparing him from the ordeal of the kidnappers, saying he was alive by the grace of God.
He recounted that he and his family had enjoyed numerous blessings from God, including his appointment as the first cabinet member from the Ufia community courtesy of Governor Ortom’s magnanimity.
Chief Ogbu had earlier drawn the attention of the Governor to the plight of Government College, Utonkon and appealed to the Governor to give the institution a facelift for the benefit of the community.
Paramount ruler of Idoma nation, Och’Idoma, Ochi John Elaigwu Odogbo who also attended thanksgiving Mass, prayed God to continue to preserve Chief Ogbu, calling on his subjects to be vigilant for the security of the domain and sued for sustained unity amongst Idoma people to defeat the common enemy, adding that with unity, a lot could be achieved.
Earlier in a homily, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. John Ogoyi who is also the Dean of Utonkon Deanery, proclaimed that the choices one makes in life will determine his or her destiny, stating that God has placed the choices of life and death for Christians and expects the faithful to choose life.
The Catholic cleric stressed the importance of thanksgiving, which he noted that a heart of gratitude attracts more blessings from God.
Governor Ortom was later dressed in the traditional regalia of Ufia people as a mark of honour by the Ad’Ado, HRH, Chief Joseph Onazi in appreciation for the appointments given to their sons and daughters in his administration.
On Monday, the eenlargedTiv council meeting, presided over by the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, conferred the honorific chieftaincy title of “Inyamkyume i Tiv” on Governor Ortom while his wife, Dr. Eunice was honoured with “Shima i Inyamkyume i Tiv.”
Prof Ayatse who read the three page press statement “Condemned in very strong terms the coordinated, unwarranted and deliberate attacks by the group led by former Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi, orchestrated to impugn the person and office of Governor Ortom and calls on the group to embrace patriotism focusing on issues that will foster unity and peaceful co-existence rather than incitement of one group against another.
He further stated that “The 52 persons that authored the letter to the President in their statement blamed the Benue State Government as being responsible for the incident in Nasarawa State” without first waiting for the findings of the panel of investigation of the bombing which they called for in their letter.
Their action, the Tor Tiv reasoned, “Appears unfortunately premeditated and prejudicial.”
He noted that “Similar premeditated actions of some Fulbe groups and their sympathizers in Nasarawa State could have been what led to the killings, maiming and the destruction of properties of the Tiv people in Nasarawa
State.”
The Council then “Expressed strong support for and solidarity with Governor Ortom over the issue of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 as a way of ending perennial conflicts between crop and livestock farmers in the state.
The Council, while commending President Muhammadu Buhari, for the deployment of security personnel to checkmate banditry and terrorism in Benue and her sister states, called for increase in numerical and technical reinforcement for the security agencies to stimulate their performance.
The Council also commended the actions of the Nasarawa State Governor with the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs in taking timely actions to arrest the killings of Tiv people and the destruction of their property in Nasarawa State.
However, the Tiv traditional Council appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to “Take necessary steps to facilitate the return of the Tiv people displaced due to the attacks to their homes by providing the needed relief and protection.
Prof Ayatse in the statement admonished all Tiv sons and daughters to close ranks and face the common security and economic challenges threatening them and continue to be law abiding even in the face of provocations against them.
On the forthcoming general elections, the Tiv Traditional Council warned against violence, thuggery, and other sharp practices during the electioneering campaigns and voting in the general elections.
The Tor Tiv also enjoined all Tiv sons and daughters to make themselves available to be counted during the national population census.
The Supreme Council then directed all traditional and religious leaders, party chieftains and elders to fully mobilize their people to fully cooperate with all the officials and staff of the National Population Commission during the exercise.”
In his address, Governor Ortom, expressed appreciation to the Tiv traditional Council for the full backing the traditional institution has given to his administration amidst the challenges.
He also lauded the traditional institution for the honorific chieftaincy title conferred on him and his wife and pledged to continue to fight for the interest of the Tiv nation.
He specifically charged the people of Benue South senatorial district to be vigilant and on the alert to security issues within their area.
it is not the first time the Benue State Governor has advocated for citizens of the state to carry weapons to defend themselves against marauding terrorists, after a rash of attacks that have left many dead.
