▪︎Says he received intelligence of the attack

▪︎Point the finger at Miyetti Allah group

▪︎But there are other possibilities, say sources, claims

Armed men have reportedly attacked the convoy of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, along Tyo Mu, close to Air Force Base in Makurdi.

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Reports said that the Governor was on his way to Makurdi when the gunmen opened fire on his convoy but were repelled by his security men.

Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase broke the news to journalists.

He said the Governor would soon brief news men with the details.

▪︎Ortom speaks on attack

Governor Ortom has said that but for the swift response of his security aides, the attempted attack on him would had been a different story.

He said that prior to the attack, he had received intelligence report that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, which met in Yola, Adamawa State, recently singled him for elimination.

In the words of Ortom; “It took the swift response of my security aides to repel the attack, while I ran for a long distance to escape unhurt.”

Ortom, who stated these in Markurdi while addressing journalists and supporters at the Benue Peoples House (Government House), over the incident, said that the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore resolved at their meeting that he was a thorn in their flesh, and therefore, he must be eliminated.

The Governor said that the attack on him by suspected militia herdsmen took place in his farm situated in Tyo-mu, along the Makurdi-Gboko road.

IOrtom said “I was inspecting the farm when suddenly, the militia herders, who dressed in black and had laid ambush for me and my security men, opened fire.”

Ortom noted that the attack came a few days after the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore held a meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, during which he was singled out as being a thorn in their flesh and therefore must be eliminated.

The Governor however said that his life was in the hands of God, adding that no Fulani militia had the power to take it without God’s permission.

Read him: “As many times as they will try, they would continue to fail since we are standing on the truth”

▪︎Other possibilities away from Miyetti Allah profiling

The attack came about two weeks after the killing of Dr Terkula Suswam, an elder brother to  the former governor of the State,  Senator Gabriel Suswam.

There were fears on Saturday that the attack on Governor Ortom might have come from the same source or group that killed Terkula Suswam.

The spectre of fear has characterised the political space of Benue since one Gana, who led a militia group that terrorised the state through their operations around Logo, Ukum and Katsina Ala axis was killed last year by the military.

It was learnt that in getting Gana and his gang to come out of hiding late last year, former Governor Suswam had played a key role in reassuring them that the state government would grant them amnesty.

Suswam had, as gathered, told them they would be free men once they surrendered to Governor Ortom who was waiting to receive them in Makurdi, the state capital.

The military, as the narrative went, spoke to Ortom while the militants were assembling in Gboko en route Makurdi.

Unfortunately, Ortom, as learnt, let out the information that once the guys congregated in Gboko under the guidance of Suswam, other political leaders and elders, they would be on their way to Makurdi.

The military was said to have laid ambush for the convoy conveying the bandits. They reportedly, as claimed in some quarters, stopped the convoy on the way to Makurdi and conducted a vehicle-to- vehicle search, fishing out Gana from one of the cars.

Gana was, as claimed, dragged out of the car and killed.

With the tragic development, the remnants of Gana group had thought the incident was a set up by former Governor Suswam with the other militias vowing, as learnt,  to get back at Suswam.

It was gathered that when they were informed it was Givernor Ortom who betrayed them, they added him to the hit list.

A source who is familiar with the Benue development hinted that getting Suswam’s elder brother, Terkula, was a sampler of their grand agenda, adding that “today’s attack on Ortom was one of their targeted pay backs.”