Relocate to Bauchi with your AK-47 and live with gov Mohammed, Ortom tells herdsmen

Samuel Ortom, Benue State governor has told violent herdsmen to relocate to Bauchi State with their arms and live with his colleague, Bala Mohammed.

Mr Ortom gave the directive Monday during a press conference in Makurdi, the state capital.

Messrs Mohammed and Ortom are currently attacking each other over comments on criminal activities of herdsmen.

The Bauchi governor while speaking at a gathering weeks ago accused his Benue counterpart of kick starting the eviction of herders from his state which some southern governors, according to him, copied from.

He reiterated his position recently, justifying herdsmen whom he said must bear arms wether illegal or not for self-defense.

The problematic herders are reportedly using the arms meant for their protection to kill, rape and kidnap their host communities, a development that elicited quit notice from state and non-state actors.

Ortom while reacting said it is beginning to dawn on him that his brother and friend is among the terrorists terrorising residents in the country.

“I wouldn’t want to be joining issues with my brother, friend, and colleague 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,” the Benue helmsman said.

“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,” Ortom added.

He warned lawless herdsmen not to come into his state but relocate to Bauchi and live with Mr Mohammed.

“…So bandits cannot find a forest, come in to hide under living in that forest,” the governor said, adding, “I want to tell those Fulani terrorist herdsmen that they should not come to Benue State, they should go to Bauchi and stay with him.”