As outrage grows over the spiralling violence in Benue State, former Governor Samuel Ortom has accused his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, of playing politics with security and ignoring President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap for peace.
This comes as human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), slammed both federal and state governments for failing to prosecute arrested suspects linked to a series of deadly attacks.
Ortom, in a statement issued by his media aide, Terver Akase, made available to journalists in Makurdi, was reacting to a reference made by Alia, through his media aide, Kula Tersoo.
The governor’s media aide said “Under Ortom’s watch, Benue State recorded the highest number of internally displaced persons in its history, with over four million people displaced from their ancestral homes.
“This figure underscores the failure of reactive rhetoric without strategic support for security architecture.”
However, putting the record straight, the former governor said the same data of 1.5 million IDPs handed to Alia in 2023 remained the data he continued to use till date.
Ortom advised his predecessor and his team to stop playing games with the insecurity situation confronting the state.
“People are being killed like animals by armed herders. Trying to minimise the magnitude of the attacks by concealing casualty figures, and the number of displaced persons, and making the attacks appear as mere communal clashes or skirmishes will not help solve the problem.
“Since the killing of innocent Benue people by armed herders intensified under Alia, the governor has peddled varying narratives regarding the attacks.
“At one point, he says those on a killing spree in the state are foreigners and not Nigerians. In another instance, he claims the killings are reprisals because according to him, Benue people rustled Fulani cows and were selling in wheelbarrows.
“ In yet another case, the governor blames those he brands as ‘Abuja politicians’ as sponsors of the killings. His latest accusation was against clergymen in the state, whom he tagged as ‘religious bandits.’
“This clearly indicates that the governor either has no clue about what the security situation is or is deliberately trying to mislead the public,” Ortom said.
He advised the governor to adopt the security roadmap that the President crafted for him when he visited the state.
“It has been five days since the President visited and made very useful recommendations on addressing insecurity in the state, but the governor has apparently yet to begin implementing any of the recommendations,” Ortom added.
He also recommended that to fight the insecurity ravaging parts of Benue State, the governor should allow the 23 local government areas to take control of their resources, to enable them effectively mobilise security in their domains and also provide development for their people.
“Fortunately, allocations to the local governments, similar to those of the state government, have increased by 400 per cent since fuel subsidy was removed by Mr President in 2023 and the Supreme Court gave a landmark judgment granting full financial autonomy for local governments.
“The governor should obey the Supreme Court judgment and let the councils run their affairs.
“The 23 local governments have been lamenting; the Benue State House of Assembly has also passed resolutions repeatedly urging Alia to allow local governments to control their resources, but sadly, all such pleas and interventions have fallen on deaf ears,” Ortom said.
Falana, in a statement issued on Sunday said “It is undoubtedly clear that the authorities have continued to treat suspected killers in Benue State like sacred cows.”
He called on the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Benue State, Mr Fidelis Mnyim, to immediately initiate the prosecution of all arrested suspects.
Falana expressed concern that no prosecution had followed the arrests of suspects in past attacks.
Citing official records, Falana pointed out that “on December 30, 2024, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hassan Yabanet, announced that 273 suspects had been arrested in connection with capital offences, with 20 firearms and 51 rounds of ammunition also recovered.”
Similarly, he referenced a January 17, 2024, statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who revealed that police uncovered an illegal weapons factory in the state.
According to him, during the January 11, 2024, raid, two suspects, Friday Aduduakambe and Iorwashima Iornyume, were arrested.
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