After meeting with Buhari, Gov Ortom rejects FG’s option of colonies to end Benue killings

Benue State’s Governor Samuel Ortom on Tuesday favoured military option as a means to end the killings being carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen, rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed cattle colonies.

The governor, who met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, made this known to State House correspondents soon after the meeting.

The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, had on Monday hinted that the Federal Government had concluded plans to establish cattle colonies as a means to bring a lasting solution to the killings emanating from what he referred to as farmers/herdsmen clashes in some states of the country.

But Ortom, who allegedly was part of one of the meetings on Monday where Ogbeh hinted about the move to establish colonies, said after meeting with Buhari, that he was not in support of the plan because he was yet to understand the concept of cattle colonies.

However, when asked if he favoured a military option to end the wanton killings in his state, the governor said, “Anything that can stop the killings of my people, I will go for it. I support it.

“Any policy or any directive, anything that will help stop the killing of these innocent people who are not armed, I will support it because this cannot continue.

“We know that the continuity of this will create greater challenges. I don’ t want it to continue.”

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On the issue of the cattle colonies, he said, “We are struggling with economic issues, we are struggling with political issues and we are struggling with several other issues in this country, security issues and all that, Benue State should not be part of this, there is no need for it.”

On why he visited President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor explained that though he informed the president on the telephone about killings in Benue immediately the incident happened, that he felt it was necessary for him to meet Buhari personally.

 

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