Insecurity: Nigeria’s corporate existence threatened — Northern govs
The Northern Governors Forum yesterday condemned the Saturday’s attack on the convoy of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, demanding that the incident be thoroughly investigated.
The forum said all hands must be on deck to address the lingering degeneration of security in Nigeria as it threatened her corporate existence.
The chairman of the forum and governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, in a statement by his spokesman, Makut Macham, the attack was another attempt by criminals to cause mayhem in Benue and in the nation as a whole.
Ortom's convoy was attacked at Tyomu village, along the Makurdi-Gboko road, but the governor escaped unhurt.
Lalong charged all relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation to fish out those behind the attack and their sponsors.
He commended security details attached to the governor for repelling the attack and securing Ortom and members of his entourage.
He said northern governors were in solidarity with Ortom and the entire people of Benue State.
He assured that they would continue to engage and support security agencies in their duty of securing the region and nation.
Similarly, the Nigeria Governors Forum yesterday condemned the attack on Ortom’s convoy, describing it as an attempt to make Benue ungovernable.
The governor of Ekiti State and chairman of the NGF, Kayode Fayemi, in a statement yesterday said: "the attempt to make Benue State ungovernable is unacceptable and will fail woefully."
He said all hands must be on deck to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of the crime.
Fayemi stated: "The news of the broad daylight attempt to cut short the life of the Governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom, is shocking and a rude awakening.
"The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) empathizes with the governor and the people of Benue State on this sad, cowardly, and wicked plan and vehemently condemns the act in its entirety.
"Only recently, the brother of one of the former governors of the state was mowed down in cold blood. This dishonourable and shameful act of resorting to violence, for whatever reason, to eliminate citizens of Benue state by brutal means must not continue.
Republic, even though certain retrogressive elements and centrifugal forces are trying to consign Nigeria into a failed state.
“Nobody or group however highly placed should take the laws into their hands, even though some highly placed Federal government ministers seem to have surrendered to the nefarious activities of miscreants and mischief-makers bent on destabilising the nation. Self-help is an invitation to anarchy and must be nipped in the bud”.
How gunmen attacked Ortom - Aide, CP
The Principal Special Assistant on Special Duties to Governor Ortom, Abrahams Kwaghngu, yesterday narrated how gunmen attacked the convoy of boss on Saturday thus: "The governor and myself along with few security details parked our vehicles by the highway and walked for about two kilometers to his farm where he attended to his farm by the river bank and it was on our way back to our vehicles that suddenly, we ran into an ambush mounted by well-armed suspected Fulani militia all dressed in black who opened fire on us.
“His Excellency and I had to run through the rough terrain for about a kilometer and a half, at times crawling to avoid the showers of bullets fired at us by the gunmen. Thank God for the gallantry, proactiveness and courage demonstrated by the nine security details who were with the governor who immediately responded with fire to provide cover for us.
“The governor probably was the target for this evil assassination attempt by strange gunmen. By divine providence, Governor Ortom, myself and the security details escaped the ambush and safely made our way back to the governor’s lodge."
Benue State Commissioner of Police, Audu Madaki, in a statement yesterday by the spokesman of the command, Catherine Anene, narrated: "Saturday 20th March, 2021 at about 1200hrs a distress call was received from one of the police officers deployed as escort to the governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Samuel Ortom that while on escort duty with the governor to his farm located at Abua Village, Gboko road, Makurdi, some armed men numbering about 15 came out from the bush and started shooting sporadically at His Excellency's entourage.
“He stated further that they were able to repel the attackers and secure the Governor back to Benue Peoples House, Makurdi unhurt.
"Upon receipt of this information, a team of police officers was detailed to the scene to prevent further breakdown of law and order and on the spot assessment of the crime scene."