Declare Herdsmen As Terrorists, Ortom Tells Buhari

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare herdsmen killing innocent people in communities in the state as terrorists.

Ortom made this call on Saturday, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Terver Akase.

While condemning the invasion and killings in several parts of the state, Governor Ortom described the situation as unacceptable.

He said the state has a law that prohibits open grazing of livestock, adding that “only a terrorist group would deliberately choose to violate the legislation as Fulani herdsmen have done since the law was emanated in 2017.”

According to the Benue leader, declaring the armed herders operating in the “state as terrorists will end the wave of impunity and guarantee the rule of law.”

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Governor Ortom, therefore, called on people of the state, particularly those living in the affected areas to report any suspicious persons to security agencies.

He, however, commended officers and men of Operation Whirl Stroke for their prompt responses to distress calls, particularly that of yesterday when the people of Tse-Chembe came under herdsmen’s attacks.

Ortom also reassured the people that his administration will not surrender the state to criminal elements, be they herdsmen or any other group, saying that no amount of threats and attacks will stop the enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the State.