Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive on addressing the state’s worsening security situation has not been acted upon weeks after his visit.
Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, Ortom revealed that since Tinubu’s June 18 visit to Benue following the Yelewata massacre, no follow-up meeting has been held with key stakeholders as instructed by the president.
“We have not had any meeting. Maybe we are still waiting for the governor to call us. Benue belongs to all of us, and we can’t continue to allow this to happen,” Ortom said.
The Yelewata attack, which left over 100 people dead, struck a personal chord with Ortom, who revealed that the area falls within his local government and is closely tied to his family.
“That place is my home. My father’s mother comes from Yelewata,” he stated.
Ortom also recounted efforts during his time in office to collaborate with traditional rulers, local communities, and security agencies to combat insecurity.
He reiterated his opposition to the Ruga and cattle colony policies introduced during the Buhari administration, describing them as deceptive.
“Each time they brought such policies, I stood against them. I gave evidence based on global best practices that farmers and herders cannot cohabit peacefully; it will always lead to conflict,” he said.
He further alleged that many of the attackers behind the violence in Benue are foreigners, claiming they come from countries like Chad, Niger, Mali, Senegal, and Libya, with local collaboration.
“This is a deliberate attempt to take over our land and wipe out a particular people. That’s the truth,” Ortom asserted.
Despite his criticism of past inaction, the former governor praised President Tinubu’s personal visit to Yelewata and his order for security agencies to arrest the perpetrators — a gesture Ortom said never happened under the previous government.
However, he stressed that until concrete steps are taken, such as the convening of stakeholder meetings and the implementation of the president’s directives, the situation in Benue remains dire and unresolved.