Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in rampaging herdsmen now causing trouble everywhere before they drag Nigeria into another civil war.
Governor Ortom, who made the plea at a press briefing in Abuja, said that he made the appeal as a patriot who is concerned about the president’s reputation and the fate of Nigeria as a country.
Before the briefing, Ortom had delivered a letter dated February 8, 2021 to President Buhari with the caption: “Appeal to Act before Herdsmen drag Nigeria into civil war”.
Governor Ortom said in the letter: “Mr. President, we are not oblivious of the challenges that the country has faced in the life of your Administration. These include two recessions, the COVID-19 global pandemic and the unprecedented nationwide security challenges resulting into the largest loss of lives and property since the Civil War. These security challenges especially have unsettled the country economically, socially and politically.
“Your Excellency, these security challenges have assumed new dimensions where the now emboldened assailants and armed herdsmen daringly enforce their will on legitimate owners and occupants of ancestral lands. There are many areas of concern over the Federal Government’s actions and inactions, including the widely discussed concern over inequalities in key appointments. These have reinforced the perception that the Administration is not fair and just to all Nigerians.
“Mr. President, please recall my earlier letters drawing your attention to the murderous activities of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and other armed Fulani socio-cultural groups and their leaders who publicly and brazenly claimed responsibility for the killings and destruction of property across States of the country. These groups and their leaders have also boasted that Nigeria belongs exclusively to them.
“I am writing to you as a patriot who is concerned about your reputation and the fate of our dear country. I am imploring you once again to rise to the challenges of these times to avert the country’s drift to anarchy and disintegration, a situation that sycophants and praise-singers might be unwittingly shielding from you.
“In 2015, Nigerians enthusiastically welcomed your return as a leader with a reputation for uprightness, fair-mindedness and integrity. The current situation is raising doubts in the minds of many Nigerians who had believed in you. Mr. President, your compatriots are looking up to you to act fast to redress the situation,” Ortom said in the letter.
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