18 of 23 LGAs in Benue are under attack, says Ortom

Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state, says 18 of the 23 local government areas in the state are under attack by “herdsmen.”

He lamented the “continued onslaught” against the state by the herdsmen, calling for vigilance from the people.

Ortom was speaking in Makurdi on Monday while interacting with journalists after his return from China.

The governor said President Muhammadu Buhari was working round the clock with his security chiefs to end the attacks.

He also said Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff (COAS), would soon visit the state to address some of the challenge.

Ortom also condemned the recent burning down of some houses in a community by soldiers as well as the killing of a soldier by hoodlums in the area.

He said neither the killing of the soldier nor the arson that followed the killing could be justified in law.

He, however, disclosed that the five suspects linked to the soldier’s death were handed over to the police and wondered why the soldiers still went on to burn houses.

“Reprisal of any kind will not be accepted by my government and blood shed should not take place in the state no matter the situation,” he said.

“When you allow lawlessness to prevail, you are calling for anarchy and when anarchy is allowed to prevail it will unleash a lot of havoc in the society.”