March 10, (THEWILL) – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has condemned the invasion of Guma local government area and killing of farmers, even as he called on the Federal government to synergise with his administration and step up military operations that will flush out armed herdsmen from neighbouring states bordering Benue.
He said, such operations will help end the invasion of Benue communities by killer herdsmen, who have continued to use the porous nature of the state borders to invade hapless communities on the Benue side of the border.
The governor was reacting to the killing of scores of villagers at Ahentse village in Ndzorov council ward of Guma local government, which is his council ward and Principal Special Assistant on Special Duties, Abrahams Kwaghngu.
Governor Ortom, who expressed sadness over the recent attack on Tse Ahentse, near Iyordye in Guma Local Government Area at dawn last Tuesday, said it is time the Federal government further stepped up the military operations in states that share common boundaries with Benue state. Hence, such borders have become targets by armed herders.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, he emphasised the need to end what he termed “unnecessary shedding of innocent blood”, “We can do it if we cooperate with each other.”
He recalled how he has been synergising with his other state governors by holding joint security and peace meetings, to build confidence amongst the people so that they will live in peace with one another.
“A situation where killer herdsmen take shelter in our neighbours’, sneak in and kill our people without provocation is not the best. This will not be tolerated any longer. Let the security agencies continue to cooperate with us in Benue to end this bloodletting. Let us dislodge these invaders from wherever they may be hiding for peace to return to our communities.”
Governor Ortom while commending security agencies for their steadfastness and commitment to ending the crises, called on Benue people to begin to arm themselves with lawful weapons as prescribed by law to defend themselves against the Fulani invaders.
“It is no longer fashionable to continue to cry out for help. We must now be at alert and ready to confront these killers. This is another way we can assist the security agencies in combatting this menace since they are obviously over stretched beyond limits.”
It will be recalled that in the early hours of Tuesday, March 8th, 2022, suspected herdsmen invaded Ahentse community, Mbagen kindred in Nzorov council ward of Guma Local Government Area and shot sporadically, killing many people and injuring others.
Some dead bodies of those found attacked at Tse Ahentse near Iyordye in Guma at dawn are Clement Tortiv, Enoch Utim, Terkimbi Kutaer, Mtaaega Tyogbea and Aondoaver Swende, while Sunday Gaga and Torkwase Igbira were badly injured in the process of the invasion.
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