Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Wednesday debunked the rumours that he has raised a militia.
He however described those who were accusing him or the state of raising a militia as enemies of the state who have taken sides with the oppressors of Benue to protect their ‘meal tickets’.
Ortom stated this when he played host to the Chairman Middlebelt Brain Trust, and former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (retd.) and his delegation at the Government House in Makurdi.
The governor maintained that he has never contemplated raising a militia for any reason.
He said that the people of the state are going through a lot of pains in the hands of herdsmen, saying the presidency is aware that militia herders were brought from other countries into Nigeria with the sole purpose of taking over the land.
Ortom said that the testimony by the former Chief of Army Staff that some members of his delegation could not make it to Makurdi confirmed the security situation in Benue occasioned by militia herdsmen who also obstructed movement on the Makurdi-Lafia road yesterday.
He regretted that no meaningful intervention had come from the Federal Government as it has done in other states of the country to cater for the displaced persons scattered across the state.
He pledged the support of his administration to any genuine process that would lead to peace in Benue and Nigeria at large.
Earlier, retired General Agwai said he was in the state to meet with the Governor and stakeholders to have first-hand information on the cause of crises after which views would be collated and recommendations made for necessary action.
Credit: Punch
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