Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has told President Muhammadu Buhari that the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, should rather be praised and possibly rewarded with one of the nation’s highest honours for speaking and standing for social justice and for a decisive, law based and sincere counter-terror war.
The group called out Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman for displaying gross disrespect by picking up petty quarrels with the Benue State’s helmsman.
HURIWA also said that the threat by Buhari to deal with perpetrators of violence in Plateau State is unreliable because the President has been making similar verbal threats that turned out to be empty propaganda because till now, not one of the armed terrorists masquerading as Fulani herdsmen have been prosecuted successfully.
The group also asked the president to direct the Inspector General of Police to order the immediate production of the leader of the Fulani group that made claims to have attempted to kill the Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom months back.
HURIWA carpeted the Nigerian Police and the Buhari-led government for refusing to arrest the Fulani leader even after he had made media claim of responsibility, adding that this creates the impression that someone up there in the current administration actually wants the Benue State governor dead only because he speaks and stands for justice.
HURIWA recalled that a Fulani group identified as Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM, had claimed responsibility for the attack on Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
FUNAM said it planned to kill Ortom on Saturday, but its plan suffered a setback due to a slight communication error.
HURIWA recalled that recently, armed herdsmen had attacked Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on his farm at Tyo-mu village, along Makurdi – Gboko road.
The governor claimed that MACBAN had concluded plans to assassinate him over his position on open grazing.
Ortom alleged that the Myetti Allah took the decision to eliminate him during a meeting they organised recently in Yola.
HURIWA also condemned the persistent attacks of Ortom in the media by Shehu who has displayed unambiguous allegiance and loyalty not to the Federal Republic of Nigeria but to his Fulani Ethnic nationality.
Shehu equally alleged that Ortom was behind the spike in security breaches.
HURIWA, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the minister of special duties and former Benue State governor Mr. George Akume was wrong to have demanded apology from Ortom to Buhari.
HURIWA further carpeted the minister for his show of hypocrisy, adding that it is unimaginable that he expects his state governor to apologise for demanding an end to the well coordinated armed attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.
HURIWA then asked George Akume how he wants someone to apologise for speaking out for social justice and the just enforcement of the counter terror laws by the Federal government of Nigeria or has Nigeria become the Federal Republic of FULANIS?
