Breaking: Buhari meets Ortom in Abuja after attack

Buhari orders probe of Ortom attack — Buhari meets Ortom in Abuja

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State at the State House, Abuja.

The meeting is coming three days after 15 gunmen attacked Ortom in Makurdi, Benue State.

Buhari had ordered thorough investigation into the attack of Ortom, who was attacked by gunmen in his farm on Saturday.

Three of the suspected attackers have been arrested by the police and were being investigated.

Security Adviser to Ortom, Col. Paul Hemba, confirmed the arrest of three of the suspects while conducting newsmen round the scene of the attack on Tuesday.

He said the police team found the fishermen close to the scene of the attack and were being investigated.

On Saturday, Ortom narrated how he was saved from the bandits.

“I appreciate the security men attached to me. They were able to repel them and they could not have access to me.

“And I thank God for my fitness to have run for more than one and a half kilometres without stopping. It means that God has given me strength and I am grateful to God.

“I don’t have problems with any Fulani man or Fulani race. But I have a problem with Fulani bandits who have vowed to take over Nigeria as their ancestral home. And I say no. Not when I am here and when I am governor leading my state.”

Ortom said if he as a governor could not go to farm with the entire security around him, he wondered who else could go to farm, saying one could imagine the pains that the people of Benue State were facing.

Buhari had welcomed the dispatch of a high level team of crack investigators to the state from the Police headquarters in Abuja, urging the officers to uncover who, or whatsoever, was behind the attacks and bring them to justice.