Ortom replies critics, denies stage-managing attack on him

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has dismissed insinuations that he stage-managed the attack on him by gunmen while returning from his farm in Tyomu community along Makurdi-Gboko highway.

Ortom spoke to journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

The governor said it was not even possible to do so as his security personnel comprised of people of Fulani, Hausa, and Yoruba tribes.

“You see I prefer to keep my suggestion with Mr President between me and him. He has accepted and he has advised me on what to do. The rest is to follow up with security agencies, that is what I’m going to do. But impunity should not be allowed to continue to thrive in this country,” he said.

Since the incident was reported on Saturday, Nigerians took to the social media to express doubts over the reported attack on Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.

Some group, who claim to be supporters of  Presdent Muhammadu Buhari and APC posted on the Facebook that “Ortom was never attacked. He’s just acting as usual; always looking for the slightest opportunity to discredit a particular tribe. There’s even no video evidence anywhere that any attack took place.”

Also, a Twitter user, Muhd El-Bonga Ibrahim tweeting under the handle, @el_bonga said “Whenever Ortom wants to attract attention, especially to bury his incompetence in Benue, he deploys the Fulani narrative. Ortom, a sitting governor with heavy security, said he ran for more than 1km. He said he saw men in black with arms & automatically concluded they’re Fulani.”

Another Twitter user by name, Matthew with the handle @tobbeimatthew, said, “In the last 7 days, Fulani attacked Sunday igboho, Fulani shot at Samuel Ortom, Fulani attacked Sunday Igboho’s mother. Does this even make sense to you? Interestingly the media are now collaborators with crisis merchants for ethnic profiling. The Syria way!”

Oluwafemi, using the handle, @phemmie04 twitted “I don’t believe in this. How many times have they organized fasting and prayers for those that have been attacked, killed, or to stop the bandits from attacking people, but they can organize prayers and fasting cos Ortom was attacked.”

However, Ibeh Samuel tweeting with the handle @IbehSamuel expressed support for Governor Ortom by tweeting in response to the post attributed to APC supporters that “the liars are evident and have been exposed once again.”