Ortom meets Buhari in Abuja to discuss herdsmen attacks

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, was ushered into the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in the wake of attacks by Fulani herdsmen in Benue that has left 71 dead.

The governor arrived at the State House around 11am and was led to the president's office.

Since the attacks were brought to light on January 2, Governor Ortom has publicly criticised the Federal Government a couple of times for allowing the attack to happen through negligence.

He said the state had notified the Federal Government of the threat of the herdsmen after they vowed to resist the state's anti-grazing bill which came into effect on November 1, 2017.

In response to the attacks, President Buhari had, on Monday, January 8, ordered Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to relocate to the troubled state and prevent the escalation of the crisis.

Benue attacks

In attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Guma and Logo Local Government Area of Benue between Sunday, December 31, 2017, and Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 50 people were reportedly killed.

11 other people were killed in a fresh attack on Tombu village of Logo LGA, again by suspected Fulani herdsmen, on Saturday, January 6, 2018.

According to Governor Ortom's Chief Press Secretary, Terve Akase, the death toll for the attacks hit a total of 71 victims on Monday, January 8, 2018.

Earlier on Monday, the governor had declared three days of mourning in the state for the victims of the attacks. The mourning period will run from Tuesday, January 9, to Thursday, January 11, ending with a church service for the victims at the IBB square in Makurdi, followed by a mass burial.

Police charge 6 to court

The Benue State Police Command arraigned six Fulani herdsmen who are suspected to be connected to the massacre of over a dozen people in Guma LGA on January 2.

The suspects were allegedly involved in the killing of 19 people in Akor village and were arraigned at a Chief Magistrate Court in Makurdi before Chief Magistrate Isaac Ajim on Friday, January 5.

Alongside the six already charged to court, the state's police command also arrested two suspects in Logo LGA on Wednesday, January 3.