Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has declared that he's ready to lay down his life to protect Benue state's land from herdsmen.
According to AIT, the Governor lamented the deteriorated state of security caused by killer herdsmen.
He said, "These criminals, they display themselves on social media, claiming they are here for an agenda to drive our people away and take over their land and also kill them."
He alleged that the Federal Government gave the herdsmen the liberty to commit atrocities in the state. But as for him, if he gets attacked, he would rather lose his life than give his land to a 'Fulani man'.
"And they are here courtesy of Federal Government but for me, if they come, then I’m ready to die than to surrender my land to Fulani men. If God didn’t protect me, then I need no help from anybody," he added.
Furthermore, he noted that the activities of the herdsmen have increased the number of internally displaced people and have rendered millions homeless. In his words:
"The spate of insecurity has also led to increased internal displacement, which is now commonplace in most parts of the nation’s food basket as statistics continue to swell on what seems to be a daily basis with many more communities sacked from their ancestral home by the persistent attacks with no hope in sight for their safe return home.”