…Calls on the International Community to Act on Violence in Nigeria
A group called Forum of Concerned Nigerians, FCN has warned the Federal Government to ensure that nothing dangerous happens to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, saying any attempt at silencing the Governor will be resisted.
Addressing a press conference Monday, July 18 in Makurdi, spokesman for the group elder Peter Shande, also called on the international community to act on the alarm raised by the Benue State Governor concerning his safety and rising spate of violence in Nigeria.
The group pointed out that Governor Ortom has come under a heavy wave of sponsored blackmail and victimization from the Federal Government and its agents, citing a series of instances where Ortom has been severely subjected to media attacks and other forms of threats including attempts to eliminate him.
“We have carefully watched the Buhari administration and its agents serially use the media to threaten and vilify the person and office of the Benue State Governor. This is unacceptable.
“What is Ortom’s offence? Is it a crime to choose to stand with one’s people in the face of brazen injustice, oppression and impunity? Since 2017, Governor Ortom has come under a heavy wave of sponsored blackmail and victimization from the Federal Government and its willing agents,” the group lamented.
The group declared that “Governor Ortom is one Nigerian who has chosen to be the voice of the voiceless, so any attempt at silencing him will mean an attempt to silence over 200 million helpless Nigerians, and such an attempt will be stoutly resisted.”
The group further stated that “We will not fail to warn the Presidency that we are watching keenly, and nothing must happen to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom,” stressing that the Governor represents the suffering and marginalized people of this country who are being slaughtered like animals by terrorists almost daily.
According to the group, “Nigeria is in a coma and anyone who is pretending about it is living in self denial” pointing out that “the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the people of the country and his administration is clearly complicit in the spate of violence across the country and the killing of innocent people.”
The group called on the international community to intervene in the situation saying “We expect the United States, the United Kingdom and other world powers to intervene in the security situation in Nigeria without further delay,” adding that establishing a Special Envoy on Nigeria will be a good place to begin.
Others who signed the press statement presented by Peter Shande were Goodluck Ibem – Umuahia, Fredrick Adebayo – Lagos, Yakubu Ahmed – Kaduna, Tonye Lawson – Port Harcourt, Samson Ochono – Abuja, Timothy Hembaor – Makurdi and Andrew Longyem – Jos.
Below is unedited press statement of the group
GLOBAL COMMUNITY MUST ACT ON ORTOM’S ALARM OVER VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA AND HIS SAFETY
…Benue Gov’s Fears Justified
Yesterday in Washington DC, United States of America, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom raised a disturbing and timely alarm over the increasing spate of violence in Nigeria and urged the US government and the rest of the international community to hold President Muhammadu Buhari accountable for the wave of violence in Nigeria. The Governor made the call at the State Department, Washington DC, while interacting with its officials.
Governor Ortom also said President Buhari and his government should be held responsible if anything untoward happens to him, and went on to cite the plethora of threats he has been receiving and including the attempt made on his life in 2021.
As a group of concerned Nigerians, we elect to join the Benue State Governor on this timely and patriotic call. Nigeria is in a coma and anyone who is pretending about it is living in self denial. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the people of the country. His administration is clearly complicit in the spate of violence across the country and the killing of innocent people.
Governor Ortom is one Nigerian who has chosen to be the voice of the voiceless, so any attempt at silencing him will mean an attempt to silence over 200 million helpless Nigerians, and such an attempt will be stoutly resisted. No one has the monopoly of violence and the capacity to sponsor smear campaigns.
We have carefully watched the Buhari administration and its agents serially use the media to threaten and vilify the person and office of the Benue State Governor. This is unacceptable!
What is Ortom’s offence? Is it a crime to choose to stand with one’s people in the face of brazen injustice, oppression and impunity? Since 2017, Governor Ortom has come under a heavy wave of sponsored blackmail and victimization from the Federal Government and its willing agents. To buttress the point, we have chronicled the instances where the Governor has been severely subjected to media attacks and other forms of threats:
May 30, 2017: Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore addressed a press conference in Abuja to reject the newly signed Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State. The Fulani group threatened Governor Ortom and vowed to mobilize their members across the country and other parts of West Africa to invade Benue and resist the enforcement of the ranching law.
February 02, 2018: Presidency attacked the media for giving Governor Ortom “too much space and airtime to speak on attacks in Benue State.”
February 03, 2018: Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris blamed the killings in Benue State on Governor Ortom whom he accused of enacting the Open Grazing Prohibition Law to chase Fulani people out of the State.
February 07, 2018: The House of Representatives ordered the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to apologize to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, whom the IGP, through the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, described as “a drowning man” on live national television.
July 30, 2018: A factional group of eight members led by the impeached Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Terkimbir Ikyange, made an impeachment attempt against Governor Ortom. The eight members of the House had moved into the Assembly complex amidst tight security around 6am of that day before their evil plot was aborted by 22 members who were led by the new Speaker Titus Uba. Security operatives later sealed the Assembly complex and chased away staff of the parliament.
July 31, 2018: Police Commissioner, Besan Gwana, gave a shocking explanation that the decision to seal-off the State House of Assembly was based on “orders from above”.
Contradicting himself, the same Police Commissioner feigned ignorance of the shut down of the complex, saying he was in Abuja at the time of the closure.
A specific antic the Federal Government often employs to distract the Governor Ortom is frequent change of his security personnel. Sometime in early 2018, a circular was issued by the Police High Command transferring all the Governor’s personal police aides to other states. Though the order was later rescinded, we found it strange and unacceptable. It was impunity taken to new heights.
Within a period of 12 months, no fewer than four Commissioners of Police were posted to Benue State. Some spent less than two months before they were replaced. In January 2018, CP Bashir Makama was replaced by CP Fatai Owoseni who was later transferred and Besan Gwana deployed to Benue in July of the same year. As earlier stated, Gwana was apparently on a ‘special mission’ to the state which was to supervise the illegal impeachment move against the Governor using only 8 out of 30 members of the Benue State House of Assembly. He did not hide his mission. Next to be deployed to Benue was CP Okon Ene in August 2018. CP Okon who appeared to be more professional in his outings than Gwana was transferred in December 2018 on allegations that he was not working in the interest of the APC leadership in Benue State. Such has been the level of impunity against Governor Ortom in the last five years.
False propaganda has been sponsored against Ortom since 2018 and voters incited against him before the 2019 elections. All these happened to him because he believes that the Ranching Law of the State is the answer now and in future towards ending the mayhem and genocide unleashed by herdsmen on Benue farmers and people, including women and children.
May 21, 2019: The Buhari Media Organization (BMO), in a statement, alleged among others that “Governor Ortom overtly created tension in his State and created division among the peace-loving people of Benue State.” The group heaped unprintable insults on the Governor.
June 26, 2019: Governor Ortom came under heavy blackmail and media attacks sponsored by the presidency for rejecting Ruga settlements, cattle colonies and other plans to take over the people’s lands and give to herders.
October 20, 2019: The Fulani Socio-cultural organisation, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, apologised to Governor Ortom over herdsmen attacks. National Secretary of the association, Saleh Alhassan gave the apology at a wedding in Makurdi.
March 20, 2021: Governor Ortom was attacked by assassins while on the way from his farm, off Gboko-Makurdi road.
March 21, 2021: A group known as Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) claimed responsibility for the attempted assassination of Governor Ortom. The group said it carried out the attack “to protect Fulani interest.” FUNAM vowed to keep a close eye on the Governor till they achieve their target. The statement signed by Umar Amir Shehu read in parts:
“Our courageous fighters carried out this historic attack to send a great message to Ortom and his collaborators. Wherever you are, once you are against Fulani long term interest, we shall get you down. This is a clear warning. We hope those who take us for granted will get the indisputable message. Our intention is unequivocal: TO KILL HIM. That mission will one day be fulfilled and very soon too.”
May 16, 2021: Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai attacked Governor Ortom, accusing him of blaming President Muhammadu Buhari over the insecurity in the country.
June 10, 2021: President Buhari, while featuring on Arise News programme, took a swipe at Governor Ortom over the herdsmen crisis. The President insisted on reopening grazing reserves in Benue State and other parts of the country.
August 26, 2021: The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) again descended on Governor Ortom in a media attack that smacked of pure hatred and victimization. In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO said Governor Ortom’s reaction to the President’s move to restore over 300 grazing reserves in 25 states including Benue would not deter the Buhari administration from executing the plan.
August 30, 2021: The Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, at a press conference in Abuja, called for a state of emergency to be declared in Benue State, so as to remove Governor Ortom from office. That desperate move was reminiscent of the 2018 impeachment attempt the Federal Government used Akume and others to prosecute but failed.
January 24, 2022: Governor Ortom raised alarm when he appeared on Arise television that he had been blocked from seeing President Buhari. The Governor complained about the poor security situation in his State and blamed it wholly on the Federal Government’s reluctance to fight terrorists.
He also criticized the Federal Government for refusing to assist the State to address the humanitarian crisis which has resulted in the continuous stay of his people in the Internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
The same day: In a swift reaction, the Presidency, through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, attacked Governor Ortom over his comments on television, particularly the Governor’s statement that Nigerians are regretting voting for President Buhari.
Our Stand
Governor Ortom’s landslide victory at the 2019 elections for a second tenure of four years as Governor has proven that it pays to be on the side of the people. At the wake of herdsmen massacres visited on Benue farmers, he faced, and is still facing persecution from many powerful interests. He has stood with his people on the side of justice and equity.
To our amazement, the Ortom administration and the people of Benue were exposed to all forms of embarrassing intimidations. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has repeatedly scrutinized the accounts of Benue State including the Governor’s security votes and many of his staff invited for no good reasons to Abuja for questioning. The Governor at some point was barred from using the Nigerian Air Force, NAF base Makurdi airport for chartered flights and his guests were refused landing rights at that airport.
In view of the above catalogue of threats, attacks and other negative things thrown at Governor Samuel Ortom, we find the alarm concerning his safety very timely, compelling and urgent. We therefore urge the international community not to treat the Governor’s call with levity. Nigeria is too important in the African continent and comity of nations to be allowed to become a failed state simply because a sitting President wants it to be destroyed.
We expect the United States, the United Kingdom and other world powers to intervene in the security situation in Nigeria without further delay. Establishing a Special Envoy on Nigeria will be a good place to begin.
Lastly, we will not fail to warn the Presidency that we are watching keenly, and nothing must happen to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom. The Governor represents the suffering and marginalized people of this country who are being slaughtered like animals by terrorists almost daily.
We must state here categorically that anyone who touches Ortom should be prepared to contend with over 200 million people of this country! Enough said!
SIGNED:
Forum of Concerned Nigerians (FCN)
18th July, 2022
•Goodluck Ibem – Umuahia, Abia
•Fredrick Adebayo – Lagos, Lagos
•Yakubu Ahmed – Kaduna, Kaduna
•Tonye Lawson – Port Harcourt, Rivers
•Samson Ochono – Abuja
•Timothy Hembaor – Makurdi, Benue
•Andrew Longyem – Jos, Plateau
•Peter Shande – (Spokesman) Makurdi.
