Ortom chides Presidency over insecurity in Nigeria

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has accused President Buhari of having woefully failed in its attempts to secure Nigeria, and Benue state in particular.

Ortom made this assertion in response to allegation by Shehu Garba, Senior Special Assistant to the President titled, ‘President Buhari’s Benue Record Speak For Itself. Let Benue people speak for themselves too’.

However, the Governor in w statement which was signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, and made available to People Daily on Thursday, described Garba’s statement as a reckless stab by agents of genocide against the Benue people by blaming the victims.

He said Garba’s infantile statement on the security situation in Benue State has once again confirmed the State position that the killings; mass murder in Benue by the Fulani militia has the full endorsement of the Buhari government.

He added that it also goes to confirm that the Presidential spokesman does not only speak for Buhari but for some terrorist Fulani groups too.

He said, “Indeed, the Presidential spokesman’s futile attempts to twist events and history in Benue State is unfortunate and reprehensible.

“ It shows how much he and others in that league have misled the government and Nigerian people in the last inglorious eight years.

“It is common knowledge that as the Commander-in-Chief, Buhari has empowered and emboldened the Fulani pastoralists in their expansionist agenda including killings.

“It is equally a known fact that it is on record that Governor Samuel Ortom has repeatedly pleaded with the Buhari government to intervene in the incessant invasion of Benue State by Fulani militias.

“The President sadly chooses to endorse the invasion and merely asks our people to learn to accommodate their neighbours who derive pleasure in killing and dispossessing them of their ancestral lands.

“What the Buhari administration has done to our people through the Fulani militants as confirmed by Shehu Garba is to spit on the graves of our compatriots mowed down needlessly by Fulani militia. We shall not forget these atrocities.

“Besides unleashing Fulani@ killers on our people, the Buhari government denied Benue State any meaningful project in the last eight years, including the repair of federal government roads in the state which are now death traps. We have tried in vain to find out the offense of Benue people, but we found none, except that our people are responsible, law abiding citizens”.

He continued: “For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Samuel Ortom was elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 to defend the interest of the people of Benue and never to be a lackey in the hands of expansionists using every means to perpetrate evil against the Benue citizens.

“By Garba Shehu’s latest statement, the presidency has clearly demonstrated that Governor Ortom is right when he consistently accused the APC-led federal government of complicity in the killings orchestrated against Benue people by the Fulani herdsmen as represented by Miyetti Allah Kautal, Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM and other Fulani socio cultural groups.

“If the Presidency can find it convenient to lay the blame of the massive killings that the Fulani have continued to perpetrate in Benue on Governor Ortom, what can it say of the massacre and kidnappings in Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto and President Buhari’s home state of Katsina among other states where the killing of innocent citizens has continued unchallenged?”

Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku-Bagudu and First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, during the Seventh Kebbi Women’s Ramadan Lecture in Birnin Kebbi recently.

NGO offers free hepatitis B vaccination in police barracks, hospitals in FCT

The Daniel Onoja Foundation (DOF), an NGO, has organised free Hepatitis B vaccination and awareness campaign for police officers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event took place simultaneously in the Force Headquarters, Force CID Clinic, Dei-Dei Police Barracks and the Muhammadu Buhari Police Hospital, Area 11.

NAN also reports that the event was organised in commemoration of the 2023 World Health Day, usually celebrated on April 7.

Founder of the NGO, Mr Daniel Onoja, said the medical intervention would afford the personnel the opportunity to know their status and get vaccinated.

He added that the hepatitis B virus which is deadly and dangerous had not received the most needed awareness and sensitisation it requires.

Onoja added that having being a product of a Police father and living in a Barracks, it promoted him to give back to the society which made him what he is.

“We are doing this for humanity sake because we understand that the cardinal point of every nation’s development is dependent on the security, health and growth of its economy.

“If the people who make up the country, do not have good health enough to carry out their duties, then there will be a challenge.

“We also understand that the growth of every country is largely dependent on its security and it is well known that the Nigerian police force is saddled with that responsibility for internal security.

“This means that their health cannot be taken for granted and we cannot leave that responsibility to the government and the personnel alone.

“We know how expensive this vaccines are and how their work schedule is also tight, that is why we brought this medical intervention to where they are working, so that they can easily get tested and start their vaccination.

“We want them to live a healthy life, so that they can carry out their responsibilities effectively,” he said.

Onoja added that the foundation had already made arrangements for the three doses of the vaccine for those who are negative, while assuring of its continuous support to the police.

Also speaking, Dr Emmanuel Garba, 15th Force Medical Officer, appreciated the foundation for the medical intervention.

Garba said it would go a long way in protecting the health of the police personnel.

“We all know the seriousness of hepatitis B and we appreciate you for taking steps in ensuring that we are not exposed to this infection,” he said.

NAN reports that hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected.

This can happen through sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or during pregnancy or delivery.

NAN