The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has admonished residents of his state to acquire legal weapons to defend themselves from terrorists, bandits and invaders.
Raye24reporters reports that Ortom said this on Sunday during a Thanksgiving Mass in honour of the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Ekpe Ogbu, who regained his freedom weeks ago after suspected terrorists kidnapped him.
Ogbu was said to have been kidnapped on December 4th, 2022, by suspected Fulani terrorists, a few kilometres away from his village, alongside his driver and two others.
Speaking at the thanksgiving held at St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, Utonkon, in the Ado local government area of the State, Governor Ortom confirmed that the kidnappers of the commissioner have been arrested.
He charged residents to wake up and wade off criminals amongst them.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain lamented the growing insecurity in the state under his administration, urging the people of Benue South senatorial district to be vigilant and on alert to security issues within their area.
Ortom said the sad development in the state called for a collective effort, 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.
“Everybody must be vigilant and acquire legal weapons prescribed by law to wade off the invaders,” he said.
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.
The leader stressed that he would not be forced to keep quiet while atrocities against the State’s people by Fulani terrorists continues.
He further said that the society was too advanced for the crude approach deployed by the invaders whose sole agenda was to take over Benue’s ancestral lands.
Ortom encouraged the people to sustain their support to security agencies posted to their area to enable them to perform their duties.
The Governor stressed that the Community Volunteer Guards were to support community policing and urged the people to report any suspicious movement 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 a campus of the University and direct the Commissioner to initiate a memo for the upgrade of some blocks at the institution as a first step.
