Ortom Slams Bala Mohammed, Calls Him ‘Terrorist Terrorising Nigeria’

*Anything Happens To Me, Bala Mohammed Should Be Held
Responsible – Ortom

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Monday accused his Bauchi
State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, of being a terrorist based on his
utterances supporting herdsmen from carrying AK-47 to defend
themselves.

Governor Ortom who made this accusation while addressing
journalists in Makurdi, Benue State capital said Governor Mohammed
must be a terrorist for supporting illegal arms wielding by foreign
herdsmen.

“I wouldn’t want to be joining issues with my brother, friend,
and colleague Bauchi Governor. But since he has continued to
vilify, intimidate and blackmail me. It is said that silence is
consent. I am compelled to respond to him.

“I am beginning to think that my brother, the governor of Bauchi
State is part of the terrorist Fulani organisation that is
terrorising this country.

“Why do I say this? This is the same governor who took the oath
of office to protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. This constitution does not leave room for allowing foreign
herdsmen to come in without valid papers.

“This is a man who says that a Fulani man is a global man and
can come in from anywhere and enter Nigeria. It is quite
disappointing to hear a governor who took the oath of office …maybe
he should go back and check the oath of office he took to check
maybe the constitution gives room for foreign terrorist Fulani
herdsmen to come into Nigeria,” Ortom said.

He also reacted to Governor Mohammed’s statement which says
herders can carry AK-47 to defend themselves noting that “his
recent outburst that Fulani herdsmen are justified for carrying
AK-47 to protect themselves. I don’t know where the constitution of
this country allows that.”

The Benue Governor there called on Governor Mohammed to render
an unreserved apology and learn from the provisions of the
constitution that, land both territorial, forest, and aquatic, are
vested on the governor of a state who holds them in trust, instead
of indulging in inciting Fulani herdsmen against innocent
Nigerians.

AK-47 A Figure Of Speech?
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State last week Friday defended
his comment about armed herders, explaining that he used AK-47 as a
figure of speech for protection.

“It is a figure of speech to show you the despondence, the
desperation and frustration and the agony that this particular
person is exposed to by his own people, by his own tribe and by
other tribes who have all seen him as a criminal and therefore, he
has the inalienable right to protect himself,” the governor said
during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

A Flurry Of Condemnation
Governor Bala Mohammed’s comment on armed herdsmen had earlier
triggered a wave of condemnation from his counterparts and
Nigerians alike, increasing calls for the prohibition of
open-grazing.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and his Ondo counterpart,
Rotimi Akeredolu, were quick to knock the Bauchi governor’s
statement. Akeredolu had described it as uncalled for, arguing that
it could further escalate tensions in the West African nation.

“For what purpose? Bala Mohammed has even poured more petrol
into the fire because his speech is unexpected of him. It will
become very serious and nobody will be spared,” Akeredolu, a former
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), noted.

*Anything Happens To Me, Bala Mohammed Should Be Held
Responsible – Ortom

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Monday accused his Bauchi
State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, of being a terrorist based on his
utterances supporting herdsmen from carrying AK-47 to defend
themselves.

Governor Ortom who made this accusation while addressing
journalists in Makurdi, Benue State capital said Governor Mohammed
must be a terrorist for supporting illegal arms wielding by foreign
herdsmen.

“I wouldn’t want to be joining issues with my brother, friend,
and colleague Bauchi Governor. But since he has continued to
vilify, intimidate and blackmail me. It is said that silence is
consent. I am compelled to respond to him.

“I am beginning to think that my brother, the governor of Bauchi
State is part of the terrorist Fulani organisation that is
terrorising this country.

“Why do I say this? This is the same governor who took the oath
of office to protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. This constitution does not leave room for allowing foreign
herdsmen to come in without valid papers.

“This is a man who says that a Fulani man is a global man and
can come in from anywhere and enter Nigeria. It is quite
disappointing to hear a governor who took the oath of office …maybe
he should go back and check the oath of office he took to check
maybe the constitution gives room for foreign terrorist Fulani
herdsmen to come into Nigeria,” Ortom said.

He also reacted to Governor Mohammed’s statement which says
herders can carry AK-47 to defend themselves noting that “his
recent outburst that Fulani herdsmen are justified for carrying
AK-47 to protect themselves. I don’t know where the constitution of
this country allows that.”

The Benue Governor there called on Governor Mohammed to render
an unreserved apology and learn from the provisions of the
constitution that, land both territorial, forest, and aquatic, are
vested on the governor of a state who holds them in trust, instead
of indulging in inciting Fulani herdsmen against innocent
Nigerians.

AK-47 A Figure Of Speech?
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State last week Friday defended
his comment about armed herders, explaining that he used AK-47 as a
figure of speech for protection.

“It is a figure of speech to show you the despondence, the
desperation and frustration and the agony that this particular
person is exposed to by his own people, by his own tribe and by
other tribes who have all seen him as a criminal and therefore, he
has the inalienable right to protect himself,” the governor said
during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

A Flurry Of Condemnation
Governor Bala Mohammed’s comment on armed herdsmen had earlier
triggered a wave of condemnation from his counterparts and
Nigerians alike, increasing calls for the prohibition of
open-grazing.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and his Ondo counterpart,
Rotimi Akeredolu, were quick to knock the Bauchi governor’s
statement. Akeredolu had described it as uncalled for, arguing that
it could further escalate tensions in the West African nation.

“For what purpose? Bala Mohammed has even poured more petrol
into the fire because his speech is unexpected of him. It will
become very serious and nobody will be spared,” Akeredolu, a former
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), noted.