Convene security summit now – Ortom tells Buhari

 

 

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately convene a National Security Summit to discuss and address the worsening security situation in the country.

The Governor made the call on Tuesday while addressing protesting youths at Abagena village where Fulani militiamen killed seven persons and injured many others during a midnight attack on Monday.

Governor Ortom who called on his colleagues to join forces to salvage the country also urged President Buhari to declare a state of emergency on security in Nigeria.

He said it was time for Mr President who had taken an oath to secure and provide security for lives and property to address the nation on the state of insecurity.

“I have severally written to the President and security agencies that Miyetti Allah leadership held a meeting in Yola where they said except we repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, nobody will know peace in Benue as they will kill, maim, rape and perpetrate all kinds of atrocities. They have started doing it.

“How do you reconcile a situation where Mr President gives an order to security agents to shoot at sight anyone illegally seen with AK47 and a minister counters it?” the Governor lamented.

He stated that within the last two weeks alone, over 70 people from Makurdi, Guma and Gwer West were killed by militia herdsmen, stressing that despite his preaching of respect for the rule of law, Benue people have been overstretched and had become weary.

Executive Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Council, Hon Anthony Dyegeh, Executive Secretary State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Emmanuel Shior and a youth leader, Amos Amu said the militia herdsmen carried out the attack unprovoked and called for immediate action against the menace.