By Abdullahi Mohammed, Abuja
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state said Tuesday that all Nigerians must unite against crime and criminals troubling some parts of the country.
Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor said it’s high time all Nigerians forgot about their political or ethnic differences and join hands to defeat criminals.
The governor, who was speaking on the back drop of last Saturday’s failed attempt by some unknown persons to assassinate him, said the danger lies ahead and something urgent has to be done to address security challenges.“I am aware that the security challenges in our country today are not about the President or we Governors, they are about every citizen of this country so we must work together to surmount this. I also want Nigerians to know, especially those who are responsible for making inflammatory statements that we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder and everybody is not in doubt in Nigeria today, about the security situation; without security there can be no meaningful progress and so it is important to put heads together and let’s do the things that are lawful, protect the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria so that everybody will be secured, let there be equity, fairness and justice. That is what I stand for,” he said.
The governor said he made some recommendations to the president on how to ameliorate the situation. He also spoke on the state’s controversial anti-grazing law, which he said, is not targeted at any ethnic group as being insinuated.“We cannot continue in this manner. Democracy is anchored on the rule of law; that is why for some of us, you see that I have not done anything illegal including the prohibition of open grazing, which my people told me to present to the House of Assembly and eventually it was signed into law. That law is not targeted against any ethnic group or individual but it is meant to regulate the activities of herdsmen and farmers and I think we have very good stories to talk about this.
“Today in Benue State, those who trespass against this law, who are herders, are arrested, their cattle impounded and they are prosecuted. Those who rustle cattle from herdsmen, we also go after them so nobody is spared; even the people in Benue State, Idoma, Tiv and other ethnic groups have also been prosecuted when they contravene the provisions of the law,” he said.
The governor also appreciated the prompt reaction of the president to last weekend’s attack on him, saying the steps so far taken were pleasing.“I have been able to recommend some measures and most of them he agrees with that nobody should be a sacred cow. If people are found wanting, they should be prosecuted by the Police and I think this is good; the other time he also gave an order for all those carrying AK 47 irrespective of where you come from, you should be shot at sight and that is welcoming and it is the best thing to do in a situation like this.
“The order for the Immigration and other security agencies to protect our borders, all these are commended. So, it’s not just enough to criticize the policies of the Federal Government or the President but when he does what is good, it is our responsibility to team up with him to ensure that that is done because it is when we are peaceful and have security that we can talk about tomorrow,” he said.
He also appealed to Nigerians not to allow their aspirations for the 2023 general election jeopardise the unity and progress of the nation.“I want to also appeal to Nigerians. 2023, yes to a politician is not far but it is still a long way. If we secure our country and everything is going fine, then we can talk about 2023. But the way things are going, if we don’t secure the country, there is no way we can be talking about 2023. For me, I want us as leaders of this country, we have taken oaths of office, let us abide by those things we have said and work together as a team; leave politics aside, leave ethnicity aside and secure the country Nigeria. We have no other country than the Nigeria we live in,” he said.