BENUE KILLINGS: Stop seeking help from Abuja, protect your people, Fayose charges Gov Ortom

The governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has called on his Benue State counterpart to embrace the challenge and protect his people from the marauding herdsmen’s wanton killings.

He urged the governor not to run to Abuja to seek for help as no such assistance would come “because Abuja also needs help.”

Fayose stated this on Wednesday during a meeting with local hunters from the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State and Benue indigenes residing in the state.

The hunters were to work with security teams the governor raised to defend the people against herdsmen attacks. They are to respond to attacks upon receiving distress calls.

Fayose had alleged at the meeting that some persons he called Bororo herdsmen, had started making surreptitious moves into Ekiti with plans to kill and maim people in order to rubbish his anti -grazing law.

He further alerted that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had concluded plots to invade the state and arrest government officials in his administration .

Lambasting the federal government’s perceived failures in handling killings by herdsmen, Fayose called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently declare the rampaging herdsmen as terrorists group.

The outspoken governor, clad in a military uniform, at the meeting requested for a minute silence for those killed in Benue.

“I sympathise with our brothers, sisters and people from Benue State that are mourning the brutality of those who killed their kinsmen.

“I’m not going to Abuja to start crying like a woman. I will take steps to protect my people. There is nobody that is greater than the laws of the land. We must stop the killers; they must not enter our land. My people arise and defend our land. It is those who want to take our land that will die for us.

“It is the duty of the Federal Government to protect its people. We are not protected. We have never had it so bad. People must come to leadership with conscience. The Federal Government should have sent the army not the police.

“How did we get to this stage? The Federal Government has failed us in this regard. How can you send the police? Why not soldiers? All these propaganda can’t save lives.

“Governor Samuel Ortom should fasten his belt and protect his people. Those seeking for help in Abuja would not find because Abuja also needs help.

READ ALSO : Impunity rides again -Wole Soyinka

“I sympathise with you (Benue indigenes residing in Ekiti), this is your home and nobody will kill you. You are all safe here.”

Claiming that he received letters that the Bororos had entered Ekiti to violate the anti-grazing laws, Fayose vowed, “We will not allow that to happen. I want you all the hunters to go back today to protect your people, be vigilant, open your eyes, make sure everyone entering our state is screened. No one in the guise of grazing should enter our land after 8pm.

“For our brothers who harbour criminals, tell them Ekiti is a no-go area. If your plan is to make this state ungovernable, you are wasting your time. I have called this meeting for everyone to be vigilant. I will begin to support you now to secure Ekiti.

“Don’t let them take you by surprise. Don’t allow them to take Ekiti by storm. Go to the farms and keep vigil. Don’t just entertain visitors that come in the night, screen them. We don’t want visitors in our games at 8pm.”

While warning the hunters to be civil and to obey the law of the land, he also appealed to the Benue indigenes to pray for their state and their governor.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now