AK-47 Remarks: You’re Terrorism Suspect – Ortom Blasts Bauchi Gov Bala

BY EDMOND ODOK – The lingering face-off between Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his Bauchi counterpart, Bala Mohammed, is getting messier with allegations the Bauchi State Chief Executive is a suspected terrorist for supporting criminal herdsmen to carry AK-47 riffles.

Despite saying he will not join issues with the Bauchi Chief Executive, Ortom is also alleging that Governor Bala could be part of the armed herdsmen touting his assassination in a letter delivered to him recently.

“I am beginning to think that my brother, the Governor of Bauchi State is part of the terrorist organisation that is terrorising this country”, Governor Ortom alleged in a media chat at Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Monday.

Obviously reacting to Senator Bala’s open endorsement of arm-bearing herders for their so-called personal protection, the Benue governor stated thus; “Some herdsmen wrote me a letter that they will kill me.”

Hear him; “From the way and manner my brother and governor of Bauchi spoke in support of the herdsmen carrying arms, I suspect that he is among those who want to kill me. Should anything happen to me, they should not look far… I wouldn’t want to be joining issues with my brother, friend, and colleague Bauchi governor.”

According to Ortom, since Governor Bala “has continued to vilify, intimidate and blackmail me, it is said that silence is consent. I am compelled to respond to him.

Further rebuking the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Governor Ortom said; “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. It is quite disappointing to hear a governor who took the oath of office say this.

“Maybe, he should go back and check the oath of office he took, to check maybe the constitution gives room for foreign terrorist herdsmen to come into Nigeria.

“His recent outburst that herdsmen are justified for carrying AK-47 to protect themselves is quite unfortunate. I don’t know where the constitution of this country allows that.”

Governor Ortom therefore urged his Bauchi counterpart to sufficiently acquaint himself with the constitution that recognises land, including forests, as vested in the governor who holds them in trust for the people.

Consequently, the Benue governor recommended that Bala retrace his steps and embrace workable options and measures already adopted by the Kano and Kaduna governors as well as scholars that have thrown their weight behind the prohibition of open grazing and tough sanctions against bandits.

While lamenting that criminal herdsmen’s attacks have emptied hundreds of thousands from their ancestral homes into Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camps with women and children as the ultimate casualties, Ortom however said those herders that will not adhere to existing laws in Benue state should urgently relocate to Bauchi where the governor can tolerate them carrying AK-47 and other dangerous weapons.