GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State has lamented that Fulani Herdsmen had meted too many atrocities and bloodshed in Benue State warning that “enough is enough”.
Ortom stated this during a funeral service organised in honour of the 26 victims of herdsmen attack, held at St. Bernard Primary School Ugwu-Okpoga, Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.
The occasion was constantly punctured by wailings and cries of the bereaved families.
Twenty-one coffins were brought to the venue of the funeral mass, others were said to have been buried when the corpses were decomposing.
It will be recalled that Fulani herdsmen had on Monday, 6th March 2018 attacked Omusu and Okana communities in Edumoga district, Okpokwu LGA killing 26 persons and left others badly injured.
The governor reiterated his call on security agencies to arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore whom he said were the sponsors of the killings in the state based on comments credited to them and published in various media houses.
While consoling the bereaved families, he stated the death of the victims and many others would put an end to the massacre of Benue people.
“The Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law had come to stay in Benue,t therefore, there was no land for open grazing and crop farming to go on concurrently”.
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He assured people of the state of his administration commitment to respond swiftly to security challenges. Already, he said that data were being gathered for compensation for damages caused by herdsmen attacks in Benue.
In his remark, the state Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abouno expressed appreciation to Governor Ortom for his support to the bereaved families and urged Idoma people to fully thrown their weight behind the anti-open grazing law and ranching establishment.
Also, the three sociocultural groups in the state represented by Mr Omele Amali and the representative of Movement Against Fulani Occupation, MAFO, Pastor Dave Ogbole said they saw the attacks coming and reported to relevant authorities but nothing was done to avert the massacre.
“We are highly disappointed with the federal government over its inactions towards the killings, and we are calling on the international community to rise up and stop a repeat of Rwanda in Nigeria. Let me said this, the resort by Benue people to remain law-abiding should not be mistaken for cowardice”, Ogbole stated.
In a sermon, Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Benue state chapter, Rev. Akpen Leva prayed God to grant the Governor and the entire Benue people the strength to overcome the menace of herdsmen attacks.
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