Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said that God will visit the blood of the innocent people of Benue State and other states killed by suspected herdsmen on the killers and their sponsors, even as he reiterated his call for the restructuring of the country.
The governor, who was speaking in Makurdi, the Benue State capital during his visit on Thursday to commiserate with the State Governor, Samuel Ortom and the people of the State over killings by suspected herdsmen, declared support for the Benue State Anti-Grazing Law and urged the people of the state to stand by the law, adding that; “since the law is for the Benue people by the Benue government and not for residents
of other States, there should not be any problem about its
enforcement.”
Fayose, who was accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Prof Kolapo Olusola, Chief of Staff; Chief Dipo Anisulowo, Chairman of the State House of Assembly Committee on
Information; Dr Samuel Omotoso and others arrived at the Makurdi Airport at exactly 12:23pm and was received by Ortom and other top functionaries of the State Government.
He visited the Genabe, Makurdi mass grave where the 73 persons killed
by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Guma and Logo local government areas
of Benue State, were buried. Prayers were offered for the repose of
the souls of the victims by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof
Kolapo Olusola.
Fayose also visited the former Governor of the State, Gabriel
Suswan in his residence.
The governor urged the people of Benue State to be united in prayers,
noting that “whosoever that is in government during the time of peace,
posterity will remember him while those in powers when innocent people
are being killed in the most barbaric manner will not be forgotten
too.
He advised the people of Benue to “change vehicle since the present
vehicle of change has broken down.”
Responding, Ortom thanked Fayose for visiting the
State during its trying period.
He described restructuring of the country as the panacea to this
present maladministration and open bias of the security agencies.
Governor Ortom said all cattle farmer in the State must embrace cattle
ranching, declaring that “No retreat, no surrender on the total
implementation of the State anti-grazing law.”
The governor chided the Police and the Minister of Defence for
allowing called strangers to display arms openly and killed people.
He insisted the relocation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Ibrahim Idris was a ruse, saying “the IGP came just once and ran back
to Abuja insulting me and dancing on the graves of the innocent people
of Benue State.”
He reiterated his called for the IGP’s resignation, describing him as
a bad influence on the President having turned himself to the
mouthpiece and defender of the herdsmen.
He said the security agencies have allowed herdsmen to take over the
business of kidnapping and killings and were being protected by the IGP.
