Herdsmen Attacks: Borrow Weapons If You Don’t Have, Defend Yourselves, Ortom Tells Benue People

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has told people of the state rise up and  defend themselves with anything including cutlass, against armed Fulani herdsmen.

He stated this while speaking with newsmen at the Makurdi Airport upon his arrival from Oyo State where he attended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum meeting.

Ortom lamented that attacks on people of the state had gone beyond  “mere sitting down and watch”, saying he had constantly told Benue people to  rise up and fight those coming to fight them.

“I have told my people to defend themselves. You can’t sit down in your house for people to come from somewhere and kill you. If you don’t have weapons require by the law, go to your neighbour and get one. If you don’t have other weapon, go to your neighbor and borrow cutlass and defend yourself. Everybody in Benue both men and women should defend themselves”.

The governor, who was furious over fresh killings allegedly perpetrated by suspected armed herders in parts of the state, stressed that it was time for people to rise up against such criminality.

Speaking on the PDP Governors meeting, the governor said the Forum has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to give attention to security.

He said, “We (PDP Governors’) have affirmed our position on the southern Governors’ decision banning open grazing of animals. We hope that we shall join hands together with the president to address the matter.

“There is no way we can do it without the president because more power is at the centre. We have work to do with the President. If you go to Brazil and countries where the population of cows are in millions, they still practice ranching. Therefore ranching is the best global practice”