Ortom
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has called on Fulani herdsmen, who have lived in the state for many years to cooperate with the Government in preventing others from distant lands from invading the state.
Governor Ortom made the call on Tuesday when he received the Idoma Community in Makurdi, who staged a peaceful protest to the Benue Peoples House.
He said Fulani herdsmen had co-existed with Idomas, Tivs, Igedes and other ethnic groups in the state for many decades, but no record of clashes were recorded, until the invasion of herdsmen from other lands.
Governor Ortom who sympathised with victims of the recent crisis in Agatu and other parts of the state reassured the people of the affected areas that the State Government would not relent in its efforts to ensure that lasting peace returned to the area.
“Let me assure you once again that my meetings with Mr President and the Governor of Nasarawa State are already yielding results and I believe that we will no longer witness bloodshed on our land. I urge our people not to take the law into their hands as Government is working tirelessly to end the crisis,” he said.
Governor Ortom disclosed that the State Government had sent more relief materials to the camps accommodating the people who had been displaced by the crisis.
Speaking earlier, leader of the delegation and a former commissioner in the state, Barrister Peter Sani Ochinjele, thanked Governor Ortom for the efforts the State Government had made to cushion the effects of the crisis among the people.
He appealed to the Federal Government through the state, to expedite action on reinforcement of security in Agatu and other parts hit by clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Comments