Former Governor, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, on Monday accused his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia of playing politics with the lingering insecurity in the state.
Ortom spoke while faulting Alia’s remark that armed men have stopped attacking residents of the state since he assumed office as governor.
The former governor said Alia made the remark while addressing a congregation at NKST Church Ikpayongo in Gwer East Local Government Area on Sunday.
In a statement by his media aide, Tever Akase, Ortom said: “While we may not bother with the theatrics of the Governor and his inclination towards obfuscation, we find it rather sad and unfortunate that he did so this time standing before a church congregation in Gwer East, one of the local government areas which have suffered some of the worst attacks under his watch with many people killed, others injured and property worth billions destroyed. The people of Gwer who were in that church must have felt grossly dismayed on hearing such words coming from a man who is their governor.
“There have been uncountable mass burials during Alia’s administration in many parts of the state as a result of attacks by herdsmen in Zone A, Zone B and Zone C, particularly in Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Gwer East, Gwer West, Guma, Makurdi, Agatu, Otukpo among others. This government only attempts to conceal the truth about the killings and mass burials.
“The difference between the immediate past Governor, Chief Ortom and Governor Alia is that while the former stood against injustice and strongly fought the agenda of pastoralists who wanted to occupy Benue lands as theirs, his successor does not want the world to know that Benue people are still under attacks and wanton killings have been taking place in communities of the state on a higher level during his time.”
