Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Tuesday asked youths to defend their fatherland against continued attacks in parts of the state which led to the killing of a soldier again.
Ortom disclosed that the soldier was killed yesterday in Guma local government area by suspected armed herdsmen who allegedly engaged security men in a gun duel as they tried to repel them from attacking villages in the vicinities.
He spoke at Naka, the council headquarters of Gwer West local government area when he visited to condole with families who lost loved ones in last week attack on Agaigbe district of the area by armed bandits which left a total of 24 people killed after death toll rose from initial 10 which was confirmed by the police.
“Yesterday (Monday), a soldier was also killed by suspected herders in Guma. These killings would not be allowed to continue. The youths must rise up to support security agencies. David in the Bible used stone to bring down Goliath; there are stones all over the places for the youths to defend themselves. These killings are enough and we will no longer take it,” he said.
The governor warned those behind the killings in the state to desist as the grazing law cannot be repealed because it is the best solution for peaceful habitation between farmers and herdsmen, stressing that whoever wants to live in the state must abide by the law of the land.
While condemning the act, he emphasized that impunity should not be allowed to continue or else lawlessness would thrive and further descend to anarchy such that no one would be safe any longer as it is presently that the killers don’t even spare security operatives.
Earlier, the traditional head of Gwer West, Chief Daniel Abomtse, said he had lost a total of 212 people to suspected herders attack between 2011 and 2018 in all 24 attacks including the latest killings of 24 rural dwellers in his domain.
Abomtse however told the governor that his subjects would not want to stay in an Internally Displaced Peoples’ camp as he appealed for the deployment of adequate security to enable them return to their homes as they currently scattered around relatives’ houses in Naka town.
The governor agreed to the royal father’s request as he maintained that his administration was not ready to open another camp on which basis he had charged the locals to defend themselves against further assault.
Meanwhile, some villagers with green leaves blocked the road at Adaka village, a suburb of Makurdi while the governor’s convoy was returning from Naka as they informed him that four people including an Idoma woman was kidnapped along the route few hours after the convoy passed the way.
The protesters said that two other persons on motorbike were seriously machete about the same time and have been taking to the hospital for treatment.