Herdsmen kill three relatives of Benue Gov, Ortom

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Nat Ikyur, has confirmed the killing of three relatives of the governor by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in an attack on Saturday night.

According to Ikyur in a statement on Sunday, the victims, comprising two males and a female, were killed at about 9pm when the gunmen laid an ambush and blocked the Lordye- Gbajimba road in Guma Local Government Area of the state, the home town of the governor.

“The victims, who are all related to Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, were riding on a motorcycle when they were ambushed and shot dead and macheted by the killer herdsmen who have taken over parts of the local government bordering Nasarawa State. This happened on Saturday night around 9pm.

Read also: Two killed, 18 injured in fresh attack on Benue community by suspected herdsmen

“Security agencies, who recovered the bodies, said those who were shot died on the spot from gunshot wounds while the other was brutally macheted to death.

“This has been the plight of Benue indigenes in the hands of Fulani herdsmen who have invaded the state in a bid to take over our ancestral lands. And whenever we complain, the APC-led federal government will come out abusing and insulting us. But Nigerians are seeing and noting what we are going through,” Ikyur said.

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