I’ve Not Abandoned You – Buhari Tells Benue People

President Muhammadu Buhari has blamed the Inspector General of Police, Idris Abubakar over the continuous killings in Benue State.

The President said this while faulting the notion in some quarters that he had abandoned the people of Benue State.

Buhari said he had the people of the state at heart and will not abandon them.

The president made this remark on Tuesday during a condolence visit to the state.

According to him, “The problem in Benue started worsening because the IGP refused to follow my instruction.
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“It is wrong to think I have abandoned the people of Benue. I still have at heart.

“I thank the governor and the people of the state for receiving me.

“We have deployed security agencies to make sure the clashes between farmers and end as soon as possible.”

Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom in his remarks urged President Muhammadu Buhari to upgrade the ongoing military exercise in the state tagged “Ayem Akpatema”, to a wider operation to effectively curb herdsmen attacks.

“If the exercise is upgraded to a wider operation, it will assist greatly in ending the incessant attacks and senseless killings by herdsmen,” he said

He urged Benue people to learn to live in peace with other people.

Ortom said that many states were currently involved in massive cultivation of rice, and urged his people to join the trend.

The governor reiterated his call for the arrest of the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, alleging that the body was responsible for the killings in Benue.

Ortom maintained that ranching was the best option for cattle breeding in Nigeria, and advised herdsmen to embrace it so as to minimise the clashes caused by open grazing.

He also called on the federal government to take over the management of the Benue University Teaching Hospital, College of Education, Katsina-Ala and Benue Polytechnic, Ugbokolo.

Malam Shetima Mohammed, a representative of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue Chapter, however, denied responsibility for the Benue attacks.

“Our association is a peace loving one and the exact opposite of what is being portrayed,” he declared.