Before Samuel Ortom was elected as governor of Benue State, herdsmen had been killing people in the state and he was very much aware.
He came in as the governor and declared amnesty. The youth in the state, including the late Terwase Agwaza, honoured the amnesty programme and surrendered their arms.
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The killings by herdsmen were still going on in the state as at the time of amnesty. Yet, the governor still threatened that anyone who refused to surrender their arms during the amnesty programme would be dealt with if seen with arms after the amnesty.
Governor Ortom is now calling on the same people he once ordered to surrender their arms, that they should defend themselves against herdsmen. To defend themselves with what? With the arms he collected from them through amnesty or he is going to return the arms to them?
The people of Benue State are indeed unlucky to have Ortom as their governor. This same governor that is calling on the people to defend themselves still owes them salaries and retirement benefits.
Awunah Pius Terwase writes from Mpape, Abuja