The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom yesterday raised alarm regarding the incessant and continuous attacks on communities in the state by Fulani herdsmen.
Ortom, in reaction to the Fulani herdsmen attack on Agwabi village in Binev Council Ward in Buruku Local Government Area of the state ordered the immediate vacation of the herdsmen from the state.
The Benue State Governor while handing down the directive said: “This is an unfortunate situation that has been happening to us in Benue State. I have been crying all over the place and making appeals because we are under siege by the herdsmen, you push them away from one end, they will go to another end of the state,”
He continued identifying the attackers as mercenaries who are hiding under the aegis of Fulani herdsmen to perpetrate the evil act
“These are wicked mercenaries under the guise of herdsmen attacking us and taken over our farmlands. I have said it several times that we do not have land for grazing in the state, let them move out of the state. There is a limit to which I can appeal to my people to restrain themselves from reprisal attacks, if all of them are killed then I will be the next target.”
The Governor also denied allegation of cattle rustling leveled against the Tiv youths by the Fulani herdsmen. He said, “it is the criminal elements among the herdsmen that always steal their cows,”
Recall that the Fulani herdsmen through their spokesperson had attributed the attack on the community to the theft of 800 of their cows by the Tiv youths.