The immediate past governor of Benue, Samuel Ortom, has accused his successor, Gov. Hyacinth Alia of playing politics with the continuous insecurity bedevilling the state.
Mr Ortom stated this in a statement on Tuesday signed by his media aide, Terver Akase, and made available to journalists in Makurdi.
The former governor said that he watched with shock and sadness a video clip where Alia told the NKST Church Ikpayongo congregation in Gwer East LGA on Sunday that since he assumed office, armed herders have stopped attacking and killing people.
He said Mr Alia also levelled several lies against him, whom he accused of feigning an assassination attempt on his life in 2021.
Mr Ortom also said that the governor said, unlike during the previous administration when killings were on a daily basis, his tenure has witnessed absolute peace across the state, as attacks have ended and the people now go about their normal activities.
“While we may not bother with the theatrics of the governor and his inclination towards obfuscation, we find it rather sad and unfortunate that he did so this time standing before a church congregation in Gwer East.
“One of the local government areas which have suffered some of the worst herdsmen attacks under his watch with many people killed, others injured and property worth billions destroyed.
“The people of Gwer who were in that church must have felt grossly dismayed on hearing such words coming from a man who is their governor.
“There have been uncountable mass burials during Alia’s administration in many parts of the state as a result of attacks, particularly in Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Gwer East, Gwer West, Guma, Makurdi, Agatu, Otukpo, among others.
“This government only attempts to conceal the truth about the killings and mass burials,” he said.
The former governor stated that the difference between him and Alia was that while he stood against injustice and strongly fought the agenda of pastoralists who wanted to occupy Benue lands as theirs, his successor does not want the world to know the truth.
According to him, people are still under attack, and wanton killings have been taking place in communities on a higher level than during his time.
Mr Ortom urged Mr Alia to apologise to the people of Benue for his insensitivity in claiming there are no more herders’ attacks in the state, especially when many have been traumatised after burying their loved ones.
However, Tersoo Kula, the chief press secretary to Mr Alia, challenged the former governor to take a walk through his home local government of Guma, which was the epicentre of armed attacks when he hailed sway to power, and see things for himself.
Mr Kula said the people in Guma have returned home to pick up the pieces of their lives.
He said his principal did not lie about the present security of the state, adding that relative peace, as cited by Alia, had indeed returned to the state despite pockets of attacks in some local government areas.
“Alia acknowledged that there is relative peace, not absolute peace. However, compared to a time when attacks occurred daily, even targeting IDP camps, the situation has significantly improved.
“Even in Ortom’s home LGA, attacks are no longer as frequent as they were during his administration. While some attempted attacks have occurred in certain areas, they are no longer a daily reality.
“Today, Alia is caring for fewer than one million displaced persons in the state, unlike Ortom’s time when there were four million IDPs, an indication that many have returned to their farms.
“All markets in Guma are now operational because residents have returned home. The governor is not lying.
“Fighting insecurity is not about constant public outcry; it requires real solutions. Ortom left Benue in ruins. He should be ashamed and seek forgiveness from the people,” he said.
(NAN)
