*Allowing foreign herdsmen without restraint worsened insecurity
*Insists Buhari’s administration hijacked by dangerous cabal
By Myke Uzendu
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, on Tuesday lamented that over 100 security personnel have been killed in the state by bandits and armed herdsmen in the course of restoring and keeping peace.
He said the casualties comprise mainly of the personnel the Department of State Service (DSS), Police, Army and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Ortom made the revelations yesterday in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists.The governor also insisted that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been hijacked by persons who do not mean well for the country and its citizens.
He also faulted the direct primary system recommended by the National Assembly for political parties in the country in the choice of their candidates, stressing that it is not in the best interest of the country.
The Governor, while saying that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government has failed woefully in virtually all areas, lamented that Nigerians have been intimidated to the point that they “cannot speak; they cannot open up to even advice the presidency”.
Speaking on the level of insecurity in the country, the governor said: “Security agencies in Benue state lost more than 100 of their personnel. “The DSS, Police, Army, and Civil Defence, more than 100 of them have a killed in Benue state, in the course of their trying to keep peace, restoring peace in our country. So this is a challenge and quite a pity.
“So, you can see that the federal government is helpless. We all need to join hands to help this federal government, they have failed.
“They have not performed and unless we all rise up whether you are a journalist, a politician, a civil servant, a security man, a famer, whomever you are, this government has demonstrated that it has no capacity at all because the primary responsibility of any responsible government is to provide security for life and property.
“But when government fails in its primary responsibility, it means there’s a problem, that this country does not belong to me as governor or to the president, or to the National Assembly members, or State Houses of Assembly members; it belongs to all of us.
“Those of us who are here today as leaders, we are here on temporary basis. We will not be there tomorrow. But we have a responsibility to preserve our country, Nigeria,” he stated.
While stating that President Buhari had good intentions when he came to office in 2015, the Benue state governor noted with regrets that some cabals have taken over the country and are now driving the country to the mud.His words: “I know that Mr. President intended well when he came in 2015, but some cabals have taken over this country and they are driving this country to the mud.
“I’m not sure Mr. President is aware or if he is not aware of what is happening. I believe that he should rise up to his responsibility and take steps to correct what is happening in our country.
“Many people have been intimidated, they cannot speak, they cannot open up to even advice the president. “We are getting to a level that if action is not taken to redeem the situation we are in, tomorrow we will wake up see that some unknown gunmen have take over the country and we will not be able to stand on our feet.
“So for me, I’m concerned as a Nigerian, as a patriotic person, who want things to work, who believes in Nigeria.
“As you can see, this symbol of unity of the colours – what I wear and I carry everywhere around the world wherever you are in this world, I wear these colours, to show that I believe in Nigeria.
“First of all, I believe in my own state, the Tiv, the Idoma, the Igede people, uniting and working together and bring prosperity and of course in Nigeria, “green white green”, I believe in the unity of this country”
.When asked if he ever told the president about the general situation of things in the country, Ortom responded: “How I wish you have the opportunity to ask the president this same question you are asking me.
“I have done that and I will do it again. If I have another opportunity, I will draw his attention to it.”I have recommended to him what I think in my opinion, will help us salvage this country, because I know, even as governor, the challenges I have and the challenges of Mr. President is 35 times more than the one I have.
“So I have always been objective, I have always been frank to Mr. President every time I have the opportunity to discuss with him.”Left to me alone, this issue of herdsmen wouldn’t have lasted this long because I have told him the truth and of course, you can see that the ranching programme he started in 2016.
“Today, the whole country will have seen that there is no other way to escape the insecurity that is going on. “Except we have ranching in this country, because of those people who are deceiving this nation, about open grazing, they are not being sincere and most of the people around, they are just there to support the presidency and allow foreign herdsmen from Niger, Mail, Senegal, Cameroon from all over the places, from even Ghana, from where they were chased away, to come and take over Nigeria to become their country.
“Miyetti Allah have said, Fulani nationality movement have said it, that their agenda is to take over this country, and so it is very clear it is an agenda prepared by the cabal that are ruling this country”.
