In a chat with journalists recently, Governor Ortom claimed that if the President decides to take a stand today, insecurity in the country will be a thing of the past. He also accused the advisers in the Presidency of causing Buhari the problems he is facing.

In his words “Right now, there is nothing in this country under this APC that we can say that they are getting it right. Is it security? How can Northern governors, Southern governors, National Economic Council, come out with a policy that will stop the killings that are going on in this country and the presidency will say that no, it will not accept that it must be open grazing? Where are you going to do open grazing? Is it in Vandeikya, or in Guma or Otukpo, or in Makurdi, or were without them encroaching on somebody’s farm? I think those who are advising Mr President are the ones creating problems for him. And he needs to think twice. The national economic council is a council made up of all the 36 state governors of this country. If they sit together and resolve, under the chairmanship of the Vice President, why should you reverse that? Why should he allow an appointed person who has not worn councilorship election in his life to come and reverse what 36 governors who are elected by the people have done? That is not right. So, I’ll repeat again that Mr President is the one creating insecurity in this country. The day that he says let’s solve this insecurity problem. that problem will be solved. That is the truth. Because like this one on open grazing that he is insisting, it will only succeed in bringing crisis and chaos and lawlessness because most of us, I won’t speak for other people but in Benue, there is no room for accepting open grazing. And no room to allow them to talk about reviewing the land use act. The land use act is a constitutional matter and before it is reviewed, it will come to the states. And Benue, even without the review, is saying no. We are not going to allow that review. The land still remains under the custody of the state governors on behalf of their people. The security that we were promised in 2015 is not there. Talk about corruption, we have never seen the worst corruption like what we are seeing today in this APC led government. Where is that Minister that the EFCC Chairman apprehended for buying property for 37 million dollars and remitting 20million dollars? Where did she get that kind of money if not from the government? Look at what is happening in the petroleum industry? Stealing all over the place. Look at members of the federal executive council who had known EFCC cases that amounted to billions. Today, because they are in the ruling party, their sins are forgiven. But if somebody steals a chicken you will go and jail that person. Is that justice? That is not Justice. Where is the electricity that we were promised in 2015? Corruption all over the place. And they go after people without any form of corruption. In Benue, every day, EFCC is on the neck of my servants. They are there all over the place. But they have not found anything and we have not done anything. Why can’t they get those ministers who are hiding because if they remain in any other place, EFCC will apprehend them? I want to tell them that APC will not remain there forever. PDP was there before. But one day, it came that PDP was no more. And today, it’s APC. They will not remain there forever. And all these things they are doing, when the day of reckoning comes, all of them will be apprehended. Nobody will escape justice. Yes, they can have their way, but one day, when God decides that this is the day, nobody will escape. Many days are for the thief but one day is for the owner. Let this be known to APC government that what they are doing, going about to intimidate people to join them, I have refused to join APC. I remain in PDP and I remain with my people and continue to work with them and I will continue to ensure that the mistake that PDP made before are corrected so that together we can move this country forward. Today, APC has failed this nation. All that they are doing is to intimidate and coerce people and try to blackmail some people to let it look as if they’re saints, they are not saints. They are all evil agendas. So, please, let no one is deceived. There is no u-turn in what we are doing in Benue State. We can never do u-turn anyhow”

Ortom who spoke during a media parley disclosed that the recent attacks have made him commence the process of recruiting responsible people of 50 years and below into the Volunteer Guards.

Insisting that they’ve cried enough, the Governor added that the duty of the Volunteer Guards is to support the conventional security agencies in defending their communities.

He said “A few weeks ago, Benue stakeholders met and gave this administration the mandate to activate and implement the Community Volunteer Guards Law enacted in 2000. We have already commenced the process of recruiting responsible people of 50 years and below into the Volunteer Guards. Their duty is to support the conventional security agencies in defending their communities. We have cried enough. We will cry no more. Now is the time for action. Let me remind those who think that sustained attacks on the Benue people will force us to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law that they are making a mistake. This law has come to stay and no amount of intimidation can make us repeal it. Instead, we will soon amend the law in order to increase the penalties against offenders.”

Buhari who described the attack as unacceptable, however, warned that the incident should not be politicised.

He also called for an open and transparent investigation in which whoever is linked to the attack, should be caught and be made to face the law.

The statement released by his media aide, Garba Shehu read “In expressing his sympathies, and that of the government of the federation to Governor Ortom and all Benue indigenes, President Buhari said the unfortunate incident must not be politicized, reiterating that an attack on one Nigerian is an attack on all Nigerians. The President directed the Police to undertake a thorough investigation into the incident involving the governor and into all such incidents affecting individuals and communities in the state. Let there be an open and transparent investigation and whoever is linked to it should be caught and be made to face the law”

Ortom was attacked yesterday by gunmen suspected to be bandits at Tyo Mu along Makurdi-Gboko Road while on his way to Markurdi, the Benue State capital.

The NGF through a statement signed by its Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, condemned the attack and empathised with Governor Ortom and the people of Benue.

The statement read, “The news of the broad daylight attempt to cut short the life of the Governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom, is shocking and a rude awakening. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) empathizes with the governor and the people of Benue State on this sad, cowardly, and wicked plan and vehemently condemns the act in its entirety. All hands must be on deck to uncover the identities of those involved in this heinous crime. The NGF wishes to state categorically that the attempt to make Benue State ungovernable is unacceptable and will fail woefully. Only recently the brother of one of the former governors of the state was mowed down in cold blood. This dishonourable and shameful act of resorting to violence, for whatever reason, to eliminate citizens of Benue State by brutal means must not continue. The NGF as a platform for all the 36 Governors will continue to encourage its members to stand firm in the service of their people regardless of the evil machinations of those who do not wish Nigeria well. Evil will not be allowed to triumph over good, not in Benue and not anywhere in this country. While all governors will continue to pray for Governor Ortom, the NGF wishes to draw the attention of all evildoers that not only will they continue to fail in their wicked acts, but they will also definitely be traced and punished for their crimes, no matter how long it takes. Once again, the NGF prays for Governor Ortom and wishes him long life as his safety and that of all the people of Benue State continue to be paramount to the NGF.”

The Benue state governor’s convoy was attacked by gunmen who ortom says trailed him to a riverbank in Tyo Mu along Makurdi/Gboko road in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State on Saturday, March 20.

Reacting to the news, Governor Wike in a statement released by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, said “If you kill Ortom, then be prepared to bury Nigeria. If anything happens to Governor Ortom, the Federal Government will be held responsible and they should be prepared that there will be no more Nigeria.”

The Benue State Governor said this on Saturday, March 13 while speaking at the burial ceremony of Terkura, elder brother to former Governor of the State Gabriel Suswam, who was killed alongside his aide on March 2.

He said  “There is no more amnesty, no more negotiation with them (criminals), except they come back like the prodigal son and plead for forgiveness. You can see in Anyiin alone, we have Ashi Polytechnic, Ashi international market, microfinance bank and a rice mill. These are the things that we are using to woo investors to come and do business in the state because the government does not have the resources to do it alone.  The late Suswam saw it, but unfortunately, he met his death right here in Anyiin, struggling to work and add value to the economic development of the community. From intelligence reports, some members of the community are supporting these criminals, which makes it difficult for security men. I want to assure youths in the state, not only in Sankera, that we are going to go after these criminals and by the grace of God, we will get them.’’

In a statement released by Ortom’s chief press secretary Terver Akase,  the Benue state government asked the federal government not to suppress the right of the people to voice their opinions because we are not living in a military regime.  

The statement read “Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom urges the Federal Government not to dismiss calls for the restructuring of the country and other views expressed by the people as ‘unpatriotic outbursts. Nigeria is practising democracy which guarantees the freedom of speech to all citizens and not military regime which suppresses the right of the people to voice their opinions about challenges facing their country. It is incumbent on the Federal Government to listen to the views of the people and evolve acceptable ways of addressing the problems confronting the country instead of engaging in a combative style, anyone who dares to suggest alternative approaches to tackling the challenges. Great nations of the world got to their enviable status by harnessing and utilising ideas of their citizens, not by discouraging those who made bold submissions on the development of their countries.”