Ortom asks IGP to resign if he is overwhelmed

February 4, 2018 9:07 am

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, says Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), should resign if he cannot put a stop to the killings in his state.

Ortom said this in while reacting to comment of the IGP on the high level of insecurity in Benue.

On Friday, Idris told the senate committee on police affairs that the anti-grazing law should be suspended until ranches are put in place.

He said the law has worsened the clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

But in the statement, Terver Akase, media aide to the governor, quoted Ortom as saying that Idris is on a mission to mislead the country.

The governor said Idris’ statement on grazing law shows he is not on the side of “innocent Nigerians.”

“If truly the IGP said what was widely reported by the media, our conclusion is that he is a clear case of a man who is either on a mission to mislead the nation or is complicit in the attacks on Benue communities and the killing of many people by terror herdsmen,” the statement read.

“With his latest demand that the ranching law of Benue be suspended, it is now clear where the loyalty and interest of the inspector-general of police lies — certainly not with innocent Nigerians.

“Little wonder herdsmen still proudly carry out sophisticated weapons and willfully terrorise innocent people in the state without being arrested.

“We wish to place it on record that contrary to the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that the IGP should relocate to Benue to ensure that the killings stop, the IGP spent only one day in Benue and left for a destination where only he can tell. No one has seen him in Benue since that day.

“Benue now has nearly 100,000 internally displaced persons in seven camps established by the state government. We therefore find IG Idris statement as a mockery and a shameful dance on the graves of those killed in the state by herdsmen.

“If the inspector-general of police, Mr. Idris, is not competent to help bring an end to the invasion and killing of innocent people in Benue and other states by herdsmen, the noble thing to do is to resign instead of twisting facts to suit his objective.”