Gov. Ortom, Benue, blasts Gov Bala Mohammed, Bauchi, as ‘Terrorist Terrorising Nigeria’

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Monday blasted Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State over the endorsement of Fulani herdsmen possessing AK-47 for self-defence. The Benue Governor berated the Bauchi Governor, chiding him as a ‘terrorist terrorizing nigeria’ for his support of the Fulani herdsmen moving about with AK-47.

Governor Ortom in a media interaction in Makurdi, Benue State, on Monday, expressed the belief that ‘Governor Mohammed is part of the terrorist Fulani herdsmen terrorizing Nigeria for supporting illegal arms wielding by foreign herdsmen subverting the security of the country.

Governor Ortom had declared: “I wouldn’t want to be joining issues with my brother, friend, and colleague, the Bauchi Governor. But since he has continued to vilify, intimidate, and blackmail me. It is said that silence is consent. I am compelled to respond to him.

“I am beginning to think that my brother, the governor of Bauchi State is part of the terrorist Fulani organisation that is terrorising this country.

“Why do I say this? This is the same governor who took the oath of office to protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This constitution does not leave room for allowing foreign herdsmen to come in without valid papers.

“This is a man who says that a Fulani man is a global man and can come in from anywhere and enter Nigeria. It is quite disappointing to hear a governor who took the oath of office …maybe he should go back and check the oath of office he took to check maybe the constitution gives room for foreign terrorist Fulani herdsmen to come into Nigeria.”

Governor Mohammed had last Friday explained his statement that Fulani herdsmen can carry AK-47 for self-defence, saying he used AK-47 as a figure of speech for protection.

“It is a figure of speech to show you the despondence, the desperation and frustration and the agony that this particular person is exposed to by his own people, by his own tribe and by other tribes who have all seen him as a criminal and therefore, he has the inalienable right to protect himself,” the Bauchi governor had said. 

Governor Ortom scolded Governor Mohammed on his statement that herdsmen can carry AK-47 to defend themselves. “His recent outburst that Fulani herdsmen are justified for carrying AK-47 to protect themselves. I don’t know where the constitution of this country allows that,” Ortom noted.

Governor Ortom, therefore, demanded Governor Mohammed to render an unreserved apology and learn from the provisions of the constitution that, land both territorial, forest, and aquatic, are vested on the governor of a state who holds them in trust, instead of indulging in inciting Fulani herdsmen against innocent Nigerians.