Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked the convoy of the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Saturday March 20.
Samuel Ortom has narrated how he escaped an attempt on his life by gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, who attacked him on his farm on Saturday.
The governor said he ran 1.5 kilometers to escape unhurt.
Briefing journalists, the governor who described the gunmen as ‘herdsmen’, said about 15 of the attackers trailed him to the river bank where he was on foot. He said he was saved by his security details who worked so hard to protect him and repelled the attack.
“My lawyer is going to make a petition against the leadership of MACBAN because they came out to target me and behind the scene they are planning to eliminate me on my own land.
“If I can’t go to the farm as governor with entire security around me then who else can go to the farm? You can imagine the pains that we have here in Benue State.
I appreciate the security personnel attached to me they were able to repel them and they could not have access to me,” he said.
The governor claimed that the attack came few days after the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore held a meeting in Yola and singled him out as a thorn in their flesh and must be eliminated.
He said he received intelligence to that effect.
Governor Ortom said his life was in the hands of God and no ethnic militia had the power to take it without God’s permission.
He stated that the ranching law of the state will not be repealed for any reason, stressing that no intimidation could force his administration to reverse the decision of Benue people against open grazing.
The governor said he would send a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs against Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, adding that allowing the leadership of the group to walk freely with security personnel attached to them was not in the best interest of the country.