Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has raised the alarm over planned invasion of part of the state by herdsmen with over 10,000 cattle as part of a grand plan to further destabilise the state.

Speaking with newsmen, in Makurdi, on Wedenesday, the governor said reports reaching him from the Guma Council boss, Anthony Shawon, said that the herdsmen had already taken over part of the area and were grazing freely.

In the words of the governor, “I have been told that after the Operation WHIRL STROKE succeeded in chasing away the herdsmen, they have started moving into Guma again as at yesterday (Tuesday). I have already informed the Commander of OPWS and I hope security agencies will take up the matter.

“This is a deliberate plan to destabilise the state. What you saw at the Benue State House of Assembly was just the first phase. But as a law-abiding citizen, my duty is to do intelligence gathering and report to relevant authorities.

The governor, however, exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari from the political happenings in the state following his decampment from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Governor Ortom continued, “I believe Mr. President is not aware of happenings in the state but I expect him to call the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of DSS to order,” he said.

Earlier in his broadcast to the people of the state, the governor, while noting that he had committed no crime in defecting to another party, however, called on President Buhari to do everything in his power to protect the democracy that brought him to power.

“I am calling on His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to protect the democracy that brought him to power by directing the Police and other security agencies to respect the rule of law for the survival of democracy in Nigeria.

“I say this because the President is the ultimate head of all security agencies in the country. I call on our traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, mass media, Unions and all people of conscience, who love democracy to help avert the emerging impunity in our beloved state.

“Impunity is dangerous and destructive. Its negative effects on people and institutions can be very far reaching. If unchecked, its unexpected consequences will consume all, including those deploying it as an instrument of power.

“I have committed no crime. Today I am facing persecution just because I love my people. I am being persecuted because I am a true democrat. I am giving you concrete dividends of democracy.

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You asked for the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 to regulate the relationship between farmers and herders in the state which I obliged. Now that the Ranching Law is in place, the enemies of our state are out to harass and blackmail us.

“I assure you that we will not be deterred. What exactly is wrong in asking the people of Benue to ranch their cattle? The world is not waiting for us. If we don’t ranch now, we will be forced to do so soon because there will be no land to practice open grazing anywhere in Nigeria.

“What is wrong in changing party? When I left PDP some years ago to join APC, I was exercising my democratic rights.   I have left APC back to PDP where I   served for over 12 years at various times as executive committee member. I left as a Minister in the PDP government and joined APC but I was not persecuted.