The Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom has said that some powerful people at the Federal level are threatening his life.
Ortom said that he has been receiving threats because of his resolve to go ahead with the anti-open grazing law.
In May 2017, the Benue state Governor signed anti-open grazing bill into law.
Speaking further, Ortom said that he is ready to lay his life down for the truth to prevail.
According to Independent, he said “The
Bible says ‘you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.’
Nigeria today, we have no business being where we are. We would have
been far ahead of where we are today. It’s just that for a long time, we
have suppressed the truth.
“But
the truth is that I have decided to offer myself. If it will require me
to pay the supreme sacrifice for saying the truth, I’m ready to do it
because the time has come that we must stop promoting sycophancy and
mediocrity.
“We must promote the
truth. We must respect the constitution and the rule of law. The
constitution and the law of our land is the only thing that can guide us
to greater height.
“It’s the
only thing that can lead us to where we want to be. It’s only thing that
can promote and project us to rank with other countries that are doing
well.
“Was it not just yesterday
we said ‘Ghana must go?’ Why is it that on West African soil today the
whole world is turning their attention whether in investment or
whatever? Ghana has become a reference point against Nigeria.”
Ortom also regretted that he is being persecuted for standing for what his right.
He said “And
today, for the persecution that am going through, for doing what is
right then, I’ve become a target? For saying that ‘look, enough is
enough, stone Age laws should be repealed even if they were laws or if
they were policies, we should discard them because they will not help
us.
“The truth is that I felt so
sad when the Minister of Defence and followed by the IG of Police were
acting the script of Miyetti Allah instead of doing their jobs that they
are collecting tax papers money for every month which am also involved
in.
“How can you say that it’s
the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Provision of Ranching Law 2017 in
Benue State that has brought those killings?”
“We
live in a country where people will come out in the name of Miyetti
Allah and issue threats that they are coming to attack, that they will
mobilize people to invade the land and take over the land. And even when
you report to the authorities, no action is taken and they expect you
to keep quiet.
“When you are a
leader elected by the people and they are looking unto you for
protection, what do you expect me to do? I should speak.
“And
of course, when I speak, the medIa is able to alert the whole world and
today, the whole world appreciates the magnitude of the problem that am
going through.
“How can you
live in a state and you have seven IDP camps hosting more than 100,000
people and 60 percent of these people children who should be in their
schools.
“They are being denied
their legitimate right, which we as leaders are supposed to give them,
because of the non-performance of people who are saddled with sensitive
responsibilities in this country to provide security for lives and
property.
“So,
it is painful and really unfortunate and I expect those people who are
responsible for enforcing the laws of our lands and ensuring security
for lives and property who have demonstrated incompetence because of
what is going on…take for instance, the president directed the IG of
Police to relocate to Benue state to ensure that these killings stop.
“The
IG came here one day and left and he is sitting in Abuja and he has
chosen to send his PPRO to be insulting me on Channels Television for
doing what is right and for him not doing his job,” he added.
The National Vice President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Herders Association (MACBAN), Husaini Yusuf Bosso recently said that there will be more bloodshed in Benue state if the anti-grazing law is not scrapped.
Bosso
also accused Governor Ortom of flouting an international agreement that
created a grazing route from Niger to the eastern part of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom has said that nothing will make him scrap the anti-open grazing law.