HERDSMEN MENACE: Gov Ortom denies recruiting, arming militia

The Benue State government under Governor Samuel Ortom says it has not recruited, nor armed any militia group to help tackle the menace of herdsmen in the state.

This is coming amid claims that owing to the menace of suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State which has led to the death of several people in the state, and houses burnt down, the state government may have resorted to self help.

But Mr Terver Akase, Chief Press Secretary to Gov Ortom said on Tuesday in Makurdi, that it is not true, adding, that “the Benue State Government under Governor Samuel Ortom has not recruited any militia group and armed them since the Governor assumed office”.

The denial is sequel to the arrest of nine members of an alleged sponsored armed militia known as Civilian JTF at Arufu, a boundary town between Taraba and Benue.

They said to have been were arrested with five fully loaded AK-45 rifles by troops of 93 Battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed in Takum, Taraba.

Read also: BENUE KILLINGS: Buhari meets Gov Ortom, orders IGP to relocate

Reports said shortly after their arrests, a reinforcement of CJTF came to prevent troops from transporting the suspects to the Battalion Headquarters, but that they backed down when the soldiers insisted.
It was also gathered that during preliminary investigation, the arrested CJTF claimed that the weapons were issued to them by Benue State government through one Alhaji Aliyu Tashaku.

According to the suspects, they were 60 in number in their own camp located at Gbeyi, Benue State. But findings revealed that there were more than 1,000 at the camp, while over 700 of them bear arms”.

There were claims by the suspects that they were being paid a monthly stipend of N15,000 by the state government, and that they are being owed close to five months salary.

But reacting to the claims, Akase said in a statement that the governor was widely recognized for his disarmament policy which brought the amnesty programme leading to the recovery of about 700 arms and ammunition with over 800 youths laying down their weapons to embrace the programme across the State.

“It is also on record that the present administration inherited the State Civilian Joint Task Force from the previous government but later proscribed it”.

He said following the enactment of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in the state last year, the government set up Livestock Guards to help in implementation of the law.

“The Livestock Guards are not armed personnel. Their job is to ensure compliance with the regulation of ranches establishment and prohibition of open grazing of animals in the State.

“The Benue State Government believes in the use of conventional security agencies to protect the people. Even in the face of renewed killing of innocent people by herdsmen in Logo and Guma Local Government Areas, Governor Ortom did not let the people resort to self help. The Governor acted swiftly to get the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of more troops to troubled parts of the State”, Akase said.

 

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