Herdsmen: Get Weapons And Defend Yourselves, Ortom Tells Benue Residents

The Governor made the call on Sunday at the Government House Chapel, Makurdi during an interdenominational service to round up a seven-day prayer and fasting programme for peace in the state.

Ortom who warned that he would no longer announce the killing of his people by Fulani herdsmen told them to get weapons such as Dane guns, bows and arrows, spears and knives as well as other weapons not prohibited by law to defend themselves.

He urged them to get the guns registered for self-defence.

He said: “I’ll no longer announce the deaths of those killed by Fulani herdsmen, rise up and defend yourselves with weapons not prohibited by law, bows and arrows, spears and knives. Get licence for dane guns from local government Chairmen and use them to defend yourselves.”

Personally, he said he has received assurance from God that no weapon fashioned against him would prosper as long as he remains in His presence.

“God assured me some time back that as long as I lived within the circle of his presence, no weapon fashioned against me shall prosper,” he said.

Responding, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Akpen Leva, commended the decision of the southern governors to ban open grazing of cattle in the region.

He also assured the governor of the support of the Church to secure the lives of the people.

In other news, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has declared that an appropriate decision will be taken on the fleet of aircrafts available to the force in view of the crash in Kaduna which killed the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, and other top military chiefs on Friday.

NAF spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet however said the decision won’t be rushed and would only be taken after the results of investigations into the immediate and remote circumstances that led to the crash on Friday and other recent ones are unveiled.

He added that the Air Force is working with the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in determining the right course of action.