Slain Soldiers: Ortom Urges Military To Avoid Casualties, Protect Law Abiding Residents In Search For Missing Weapons

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Friday,  urged the Nigerian military to avoid civilian casualties and protect law abiding people while striving to recover their missing weapons.

 

The governor who stated in a statement he personally signed and made available to Journalists in Makurdi, the state capital, said following the crisis between communities in Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas resulting in the current military operation in some communities, he has, on behalf of Benue State Government, called for restraint on all sides including the military.

Ortom said he had already directed leaders of the affected areas to ensure that the weapons the bandits took away from the military personnel deployed to bring peace between the warring communities are retuned without delay.

“I further urge members of those communities to expose perpetrators of the unprovoked attacks on the military as such an act is condemnable and also capable of jeopardizing the efforts Government has made to guarantee the return of peace to the area.

“You will recall that in an effort to find a solution to the crisis, I set up a boundary committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Engineer Benson Abounu to resolve the land dispute in collaboration with the National Boundary Commission.

 “The Committee had fixed a date for the demarcation of the area in contention when renewed violence broke out between Bonta community of Konshisha Local Government Area and Okpute community of Oju Local Government Area.

“Our administration is determined to see the end of the crisis and will support security agencies to fish out those fomenting trouble.”I however urge the military to avoid civilian casualties and protect law abiding people while efforts are on to recover their missing weapons”, Ortom maintained.