Fulani Herdsmen killings: Benue still under siege - Gov. Ortom

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Thursday said that the state was still under siege by gunmen suspected to be herders who have continued killing his people.

Also, he said that the killer-gunmen early hours of Thursday killed a rural farmer and a policeman in Guma Local Government Area of the state.

But, the State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the killing of the farmer, said that the policemen were on patrol, when the gunmen ambushed them and that one of them was severely injured.

Ortom who spoke when Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso visited to condole him and the entire state over the new year attack that claimed 73 lives, noted that the killers had adopted the method of setting ablaze their victims after killing them.

He said that, "one of my kinsmen was killed and burnt and as I speak to you now, the security men sent to keep watch over there are being killed by herdsmen in my local government."

Ortom who thanked the senator for his visit also lampooned those who said he is shouting too much, stressing, "how can you invade my state and kill my people and still expect me to keep quiet. Give me justice and I will keep quiet but as long as there is no justice, I will continue to talk, shout and sing. This is unacceptable.

"My heart bleeds for my country Nigeria. Silent means consent and those who keep quiet because it is happening in Benue today should pray it doesn't happen in their state. We must be fair to all so that everyone will feel protected by the constitution of the country," he added.

Earlier, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, donated food items to Benue state government to enable her cushion the sufferings of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, said he was in the state to condole with the people over the killing of 73 citizens by gunmen on new year's day as he went on to condemned the killings of innocent people in Benue and other states of the federation in recent times, attributing the act to the handiwork of criminals.

"As a former governor, I know the cost of taking care of such people. That is why my Kwakwasiya Foundation is making this donation for onward transmission  to the IDPs. I join many Nigerians to condemn this killings and similar acts in Taraba, Zamfara and other states of the country. We need to join hands to ensure this killing don't happen again in Benue or any part of the country," Kwankwaso concluded.