Pic.10. Gov. Ortom briefs President Buhari on security situation in Benue
Pic.10. Gov. Samuel Ortom answering questions from State House correspondents after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the security situation in Benue State, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday (9/1/18).
00148/9/1/2018/Sumaila Ibrahim/BJO/NAN
Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, has warned citizens against cattle rustling and attacks on Fulani herdsmen in the state.
Ortom gave the warning at an emergency stakeholders meeting in Makurdi on Monday.
He urged the people to report any violation to the appropriate authorities for action.
At least 73 persons have been killed in the state in attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
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The governor warned residents against reprisal attacks. He said anybody that rustles cattle or kills Fulani herdsmen would not be spared, stressing that the anti-open grazing law protects both herdsmen and farmers.
He said the law not only forbids open grazing but is also against cattle rustling, stressing that there are stiff penalties attached to the offences.
He said 80,000 people had been registered as internally displaced persons in the five camps opened by the state government as a result of the herdsmen killings.
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Ortom further sued for unity and peace among the citizens irrespective of their political and religious affiliations to enable them tackle the security challenges bedevilling the state.
According to NAN, Paul Unongo, former minister of power and steel, commended Benue people for their unity despite the herdsmen attacks on them
Unongo said the unity should last forever and not temporary because the more they are united, the more viable they would become.
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