Samuel Ortom, the Executive Governor of Benue State has called on herdsmen in the state to either respect the state laws or go to Bauchi state to carry their AK-47 guns.
This is coming a week after the Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed, defended herdsmen who go about carrying AK47.
Ortom stated that the herdsmen are always armed with AK-47 because society and the government are not protecting him.
Speaking at a function in the state today, February 22, Governor Ortom said;
”Nigeria is not governed anyhow. It is not a banana republic. It is governed by the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria. The constitution gives power to our governors in all the 36 states to preside over the land of their state on behalf of the people and they only people who can give allocation and permit people to stay where they are.
And so bandits cannot find a forest and come in to hide under living in that forest. I want to tell those terrorist Fulani men. They should not come to Benue state. They should go to Bauchi and stay with him.
Benue state is governed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Benue state also has laws guiding them. So once you are a Fulani man and you come with legitimate papers , you are free to stay in benue state and do business according to the laws of our land. Anyone who is not willing to respect the laws of our land should go and meet Bala Mohammed and then there you can carry AK47.”