Benue killings: Ortom to face Senate panel over IG’s allegations

The Senate yesterday mandated its committee investigating the killings in Benue State to invite Governor Samuel Ortom over allegations against him by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

The resolution followed rejection of a report of the joint committees on Police Affairs and National Intelligence chaired by Senator Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina) on the directive to the IG to arrest those behind the killings.

The committee was mandated last week to question the police boss over the 14 days ultimatum given to him to arrest the alleged killers. The committee met with the IG last Friday.

Presenting the report, Senator Ibrahim said the IG told the committee that a total of 145 suspects have been arrested. Out of which 124 have been charged to court and 21 still under investigation.

Ibrahim circulated copies of the IG’s presentation which said 11 attacks were believed to have been carried out by herdsmen, while 10 were said to have been carried out by suspected Tiv militia.

The IG in his presentation also made various allegations against Governor Ortom.

The Police boss said the allegation by Governor Ortom that armed militia were being camped in Tunga, in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to unleash mayhem on Benue people was untrue.

“This is found to be untrue because I visited Tunga during my assessment tour of the location,” he said.

Commenting on the report, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said the committee was not fair to Ortom in the report.

In his remark, Senate President Bukola Saraki said the report was incomplete and gave the committee a week to get the side of Governor Ortom.

“It is incomplete; the governor was not given opportunity to respond. Let’s keep our comments so that Senator Abu Ibrahim will go back and complete his report,” Saraki said.