Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have attacked Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom.
It was reported that the incident happened on Saturday y at Tyo Mu along Makurdi/Gboko road in Makurdi Local Government Area of the state.
Addressing newsmen, Ortom described the gunmen as ‘herdsmen’, saying about 15 of the attackers trailed him to the river bank where he was on foot.
The Governor praised his security details for responding quickly to the attack and fight them off promptly before providing cover for him to return to safety .
âMy 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,â he said.
âIf I canât 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.
âI appreciate the security personnel attached to me they were able to repel them and they could not have access to me,â Ortom stated.
He said troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, the police, and DSS have been mobilized to the forest between Tyo-Mu and Abinse where the armed herdsmen are camped to comb the area.
Ortom also called for the arrest and prosecution of the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore who only lastweek, gathered in Yola, Adamawa State to single him out for assassination.
He also said that President Muhammed Buhari and the security chiefs should expect formal petition from his lawyers and move quickly to arrest the situation.