Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Governor Samuel Ortom has vowed to use his second term in office to correct mistakes of the past, just as he announced the setting up of an all inclusive Peace, Truth, Reconciliation and Restitution  Committee; to reconcile the people of Benue state. 

Governor Ortom, who took his oath of office, yesterday, extended an olive branch to his political opponents as he called on them to join him in moving the state forward.

“Between January 2018, and today (yesterday), armed herdsmen have killed about 700 people in Benue State.  There are now about 180,000 Internally Displaced Persons, in eight IDPs camps located in Guma, Logo, Agatu and Makurdi Local Government Areas.  Besides, over 500,000 are living in uncompleted buildings and in host communities.

“The challenge now is how to get the displaced persons back to their ancestral homes, as there are still sporadic attacks by herdsmen.  The situation is also a major threat to food security as we are already in another cropping season.

“In addition, the education of the future generation is also under threat due to the destruction of educational facilities by herdsmen. This situation is also affecting maternal and child health as most of the primary healthcare centers in the affected places have been destroyed by the rampaging herdsmen.

Regardless, Ortom promised to provide new security measures to address the situation vowed that he will not surrender the state to criminals.