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Tag: Governor Samuel Ortom

  • Insecurity: BNSG Disbands State Vigilante Group, Says it’s an Illegal Body

    Insecurity: BNSG Disbands State Vigilante Group, Says it’s an Illegal Body

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    Following the establishment of Community Volunteer Guards, Benue State Government has disbanded the Vigilante Group to pave the way for the former to operate.

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom disclosed this at the Government House Makurdi while briefing Newsmen shortly after a closed door meeting with the disbanded group.

    According to Ortom the disbandment is with immediate effect, warning that anyone caught parading his or herself as a member of the group would be apprehended and handed over to security agents for prosecution.

    He noted that the operation of the vigilante group were not backed by the law, explaining that the state has a law establishing Community Volunteer Guards in 2000.

    The Governor implored members of the disbanded group to join the Community Volunteer Guards as members to fight insecurity in the state.

    Ortom contended that the Volunteer Guards would work with other security operatives after undergoing proper training to carry out their duties.

  • Middle Belt Youths Organization Calls For Creation of North Central Development Commission

    Middle Belt Youths Organization Calls For Creation of North Central Development Commission

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    Middle Belt Youths Organization has implored the Federal Government to expedite action on the creation of North Central Commission for faster growth of the region.

    The National President and Coordinator of the forum, Mr Terence Kwaghna made the call on Thursday when he led other Executives of the organization on a courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom at the Government House Makurdi.

    According to Kwaghna, youths of the Middle Belt were behind calls for the creation of state police and National Policy on ranching towards a permanent end to open Grazing in the country.

    The President contended that it has became imperative for the Federal Government to consider genuine demands from Nigerians for the progress of the nation.

    He expressed worry over security challenges and youths restiveness in the Middle Belt Region, particularly Benue and Plateau States.

    Kwaghna lauded Governor Samuel Ortom’s efforts towards curtailing the menace, urging other leaders of the Region to adopt his strategies.

    Responding, Governor Samuel Ortom applauded the youths in the Middle Belt over their support to his administration’s stand for justice, equity and fairness in Nigeria.

    Ortom assured that his government would continue to stand by what it felt was right. He expressed happiness that other Governors have emulated him by banning open Grazing in their various states.

  • People Who Oppose Southern Governors On Open Grazing Have Hidden Agenda – Ortom

    People Who Oppose Southern Governors On Open Grazing Have Hidden Agenda – Ortom

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has said anyone who opposes the southern governors on open grazing ban is an evil person who has a hidden agenda.

    The governor stated this on Thursday in Makurdi during the ‘Media Week and Communications Day 2021’ organised by the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi.

    “Anybody that is castigating them for coming together to say that it is no longer feasible to do open grazing in Nigeria is an evil man with a hidden agenda,” he said.

    “If you have land in your state and you think you can accommodate open grazing, you are free to do that. I am surprised that some people have taken to criticise and castigate the southern governors. Southern governors have not done anything wrong; they have done the right thing.”

    While noting that his southern counterparts had towed the right path of addressing insecurity in Nigeria, Ortom stressed that open grazing was no longer feasible in the country due to development and population growth.

    He insisted that the nation had great potentials and should, ordinarily, have no business with poverty if the security of life and property were guaranteed in communities to allow for farming and other ventures to flourish.

    Ortom appreciated the church and Muslims in the state, as well as residents for remaining supportive of his administration.

    He added, “They have not done anything strange. It is what we started in 2016 and it is what also the Northern Governors Forum met some time ago and adopted that moving forward in this country, we must adopt ranching.

    “I appreciate my colleagues and the people of the Southern part of Nigeria, 17 governors coming together to adopt ranching as the global best practice and the best practice in Southern Nigeria.”

  • BNSG to Pay N1.2 billion Pensions and Gratuities to Retirees

    BNSG to Pay N1.2 billion Pensions and Gratuities to Retirees

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    Reprieve may have come the way of Pensioners in Benue State following N1.2 billion remittance into the retirement account of the Benue State Government to off-set pensions and Gratuities owed retirees in the state.

    The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom who gave this indication at a church service on Sunday noted that the said amount would soon be paid to them.

    Ortom contended that the present government inherited a colossal sum of N68 billion from previous administrations as pensions and Gratuities, stating that he has paid N40 billion to retired workers.

    The Governor assured that with the Pension Commission Law, Pensions and Gratuities of the retirees would be paid on a regular basis.

    He enjoined the people of Benue State not to relent in their prayers to God to end attacks and killings of the people, assuring that he would continue to do his best despite daunting challenges rocking the state.

  • Nigeria is on Life Support, Says Ortom as Benue Delegation Meets Buhari over Killing of Soldiers

    Nigeria is on Life Support, Says Ortom as Benue Delegation Meets Buhari over Killing of Soldiers

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says Nigeria is on life support due to the numerous challenges bedeviling the country.

    The Governor who made this declaration while addressing Benue stakeholders at the Government House Makurdi on Tuesday implored the people to cooperate with security agents to fish out Militia men perpetrating criminality in the land.

    Ortom lauded security operatives for being alive to their responsibility of protecting lives and property and ensuring that the Anti Open Grazing Law is implemented.

    The Governor assured that efforts were being stepped up to arrest and prosecute those involved in the killing of Military Officers to make them face the full wrath of the law.

    Ortom who said the meeting was a wake up call for stakeholders to tackle insecurity, contended that he met with the Military brass and the Troops over the killings towards amicable resolution, stressing that two wrongs can’t make a right.

    The Governor vowed that the present administration under his watch would not patronize Militia Group or thugs. ” As a Governor, I have not patronized Militia Group that’s why despite security challenges, we have not armed the youths but rely on security operatives.”

    According to Ortom who read the communique said the meeting resolved that a delegation would soon meet President Muhammadu Buhari to commiserate with him over the killing of Soldiers.

    The Governor said the meeting condemned in strong terms the murder of Military Officers by Gunmen in the state. He maintained that the meeting resolved to sustain support to the Governor and security operatives.

  • 2023 Elections Will Not Hold If Insecurity Persists, Says Ortom

    2023 Elections Will Not Hold If Insecurity Persists, Says Ortom

    The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has said that if the insecurity challenges in the country persist, the 2023 elections will not hold.

    Governor Ortom stated this on Tuesday when he visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The governor who arrived at the Villa unaccompanied met with the President over issues of insecurity in the country.

    He thanked the President for condemning the attack on his farm but said: “that there will be no 2023 elections in Nigeria if insecurity persists”.

    Briefing journalists after meeting with the President, Governor Ortom disclosed that the nation is sitting on a keg of gun powder without meaningful progress being made on the issue of security.

    Speaking on the protection of the constitution, Ortom appealed for the provisions of the constitution to be protected to enable equity, fairness, and justice in the country.

    He criticized the issue of impunity in the country which he said has been allowed to fester, thereby urging the Federal Government to immediately prosecute anyone found culpable of breaching the law.

    On the question of reports alleging that attacks on his convoy was a pseudo claim, the Governor explicitly appealed to everyone not to politicize the issue of attempted assassination on his person.

    He made the emphasis that the attack on his convoy by about 15 gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, while on a visit to his farm was not stage-managed.

    While asserting that he has not done anything wrong in enacting an anti-open grazing law beneficial to the state, he said the demand by the cattle breeders association, Miyetti Allah to repel the law would be impossible to fulfill, because it went through due process, hence the matter is clearly beyond him.

    He prayed that what happened to him would not be experienced by anyone else.

    The governor commended other governors, colleagues for standing by him during the attack.

  • There will be no more Nigeria if Ortom is assassinated — Wike

    There will be no more Nigeria if Ortom is assassinated — Wike

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says there will be no more Nigeria if his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, is assassinated.

    Wike also said President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress will be held responsible if Ortom is killed.

    Wike stated this while reacting to attempt on Ortom’s life by gunmen who trailed him to a river bank in Tyo Mu along Makurdi-Gboko Road in the Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State on Saturday.

    Wike, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said, “If you kill Ortom, then be prepared to bury Nigeria. If anything happens to Governor Ortom, the Federal Government will be held responsible and they should be prepared that there will be no more Nigeria.”

    Wike also described as disturbing, the growing trend where the life of incumbent governors are brazenly threatened.

    The Rivers governor recalled how the former General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Major General Jamil Sarham, and some APC chieftains had allegedly concluded plan to assassinate him during the 2019 general election.

  • Wike, Fintiri reconcile Ortom and Mohammed

    Wike, Fintiri reconcile Ortom and Mohammed

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his colleague in Adamawa Umar Fintiri, on Tuesday, brokered peace between the warring Governors, Samuel Ortom of Benue and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State who had been at loggerhead over the issue of herdsmen who carry AK-47 rifles.

    Speaking to journalists at the end of the peace meeting held in Port Harcourt, both Governors Ortom and Mohammed say they’ve resolved their differences and that the issues were misinterpreted.

    They also blamed their outbursts on the failure of the security architecture led by the federal government.

    While thanking Governor Nyesom Wike and Governor Umaru Fintiri for the peace meeting, Governor Samuel Ortom and Governor Bala Mohammed also resolved to continue to partner and work with each other for the common interest of their people.

  • We will Enforce all the Laws Enacted by Benue State Govt -New Police Commissioner assures

    We will Enforce all the Laws Enacted by Benue State Govt -New Police Commissioner assures

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi
    Benue State Police Command has assured the Benue State Government that it would continue to enforce all the Laws Enacted by the present administration.
    The new Commissioner of Police in charge of Benue State, Mr. Audu Madaki gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom at the Government House Makurdi.
    Madaki maintained that the Command would deal decisively with any criminal or group found to have contravened the laws of the land, stressing that such a person or group would be arrested and prosecuted.
    He hinted about plans by the Command to carry out patrol of areas reported to have high rate in insecurity such as, Katsina-Ala, Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo respectively.
    The Commissioner noted that the command would partner with other security operatives, adding that he would engage the youths among other stakeholders to stamp out criminality in the state.
    The Police Helmsman lauded the Benue State Government for achieving much in the area of security.
    In his remarks, Governor Samuel Ortom pointed out that the state is lucky to have a Police Commissioner who has vast knowledge on security issues, expressing optimism that  he would be alive to his responsibility of securing lives and property.
    Ortom said as a law abiding state, the rule of law and due process would be strictly adhered to by all and sundry.
  • Covid-19: BNSG Bans all activities during Yuletide

    Covid-19: BNSG Bans all activities during Yuletide

    By Isaac Kertyo Makurdi   

    Following an upsurge in covid-19 infection cases in  the second wave which is currently rocking the country, Benue State Security Council presided over by Governor Samuel Ortom has banned all activities during Christmas and New year festivities to contain the spread of the dreaded virus.   

    The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom who briefed Journalists at the government house Makurdi shortly after the meeting explained that the surest way to curb the spread of the disease was to suspend all activities during the period.    

    Ortom expressed worry over the rising cases of covid-19 infection in recent times. Implored the people of the state to adhere strictly to the precautionary measures as pronounced by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC, by washing their hands regularly with soap and running water, observing social and physical distancing among others.   

    The Governor directed the Tor Tiv and Chairman Benue Council of Chiefs, Prof. James Ayatse to prevail on their subjects to keep to the safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.