The Governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom on Saturday accused President Muhammadu Buhari, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris as those responsible for the killings in Benue state.
The Governor who stated this when he appeared before the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Security said they all ignored earlier warnings of the impending attack on communities in the state.
He explained that after getting intelligence report on the impending attack, he wrote to Prof. Osinbajo who was the Acting President while the President was on medical vacation. He however lamented that the Vice President failed to act on the report.
He further disclosed that upon President Buhari's return, he also wrote another letter to him requesting that security measures be reinforced around targeted communities to frustrate the impending attack.
“We wrote to the vice-president on the planned attacks on parts of Benue by Fulani herdsmen, because the threat was everywhere on the streets, but he refused to reply. However, when Mr. President returned from the United Kingdom, I intimated him through a letter. The documents are here.
I wrote to him on the planned attack by Fulani herdsmen because the threats were on the streets. On October 7, 2017, I wrote to the Inspector-General of Police; I told him of a planned attack on our people when there was no response (from the Presidency).
On October 27, 2017, I reminded him that these people were planning to attack us, that we are law-abiding, we have disarmed our youths and we are looking unto security agencies, and that the way to do it was to arrest those people who were inciting the herdsmen to combat us, and we knew they were going to come.
I also wrote the Senate President (Bukola Saraki), and the Speaker (House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara) on October 7. I also wrote the National Security Adviser and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to intimate them on the planned attacks. When there was no action, I followed it up with a reminder on October 27, 2017.
There was no response from any of them. In fact, the National Security Adviser invited us to a meeting two times but it was put off. This is very sad. I know those people who are responsible for the killings. I accused them and I have evidences against them. If I had bought guns and gave to my people, would they have been killed in the manner they were killed? I disarmed my people. I’ve not bought a single gun, I’m a Christian. If I bought, I would say so.”