Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has described as disappointing, the comments made by his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, blaming him (Ortom) for what he termed “negative perception of Fulani herders” while speaking on the current security situation in the country.
Ortom, who said he would not want to join issues with Mohammed, however, found it shocking that a colleague, who took the oath of office as he also did to protect and preserve the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would now takes the lead in violating provisions of the same constitution by calling for lawlessness.
He pointed out that the most shocking part of Mohammed’s statement, as published in some sections of the media, was where he defended herdsmen for bearing arms by saying they (herdsmen) have no option than to carry AK47, because society and government are not protecting them.
Ortom, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, wondered which section of the law his Mohammed cited to support herdsmen’s free movement around the country with sophisticated weapons.
“It was the same Mohammed who once said on national television that a Fulani man is a global citizen and therefore does not need a visa to come to Nigeria and that the forests belong to herdsmen.
“I wondered if my friend and colleague knows a thing or two about the horrendous activities of herders in parts of the country to warrant the emotional defence and justification that he has repeatedly put forward in their favour,” Ortom retorted.
On Mohammed’s comment that there are Benue people freely doing business in Bauchi and elsewhere, Ortom stated that Benue indigenes in Bauchi have been law abiding and do not carry arms to attack their hosts.
“I want my Bauchi colleague to note that Fulani, as well as many other Nigerians residing in Benue, who respect laws of the land, also live peacefully with their hosts. My administration has not driven away any law abiding Nigerian in Benue State.
“I rather finds it unfortunate that those who are trusted with the people’s mandate and should ordinarily uphold truth and justice have chosen to mislead the country. I think there is the need for leaders to be cautious and retrace their steps that are capable of leading the country to anarchy,” he stressed.
