George Okoh in Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday visited Agatu Local Government Area were Fulani herdsmen allegedly massacred over 300 people to ascertain the level of destruction.
The governor’s visit is coming on the heels of wide condemnation and criticism by stakeholders who saw his action as an afterthought.
A known critic of the governor and former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, described the visit as belated, adding that: “I am not impressed. The governor is always lagging behind like a tail. He should rise up to the occasion as the chief security and stop playing politics with lives of people.
“I am disappointed his security adviser is not helping him as over two months, the governor foot dragged in visiting the ravaged Agatu people for unknown reasons, however sending relief materials through his deputy to the people.”
A university don and environmental microbiologist and bioremediation with the department of Biological Sciences, University of Agriculture Makurdi, Dr. Smart Ichu, who spoke to journalists on the governor’s visit decried that It is belated.
He lamented that the governor showed lackadaisical attitude on the attack on the Agatu people as the chief security officer of the state, “as he cared less hence as well as his failure to properly brief the presidency on the issue.
“I think the governor should have visited the area long time ago as the chief security officer of the state. He was prompted by the United Nations’ visit during which they described the killings as ‘genocide’. The governor should have been the first to visit the area and appropriately inform the president of the situation but he failed to do so. That is why the President Buhari has shown lukewarm attitude towards the killings in Agatu and other parts of the state,” Tsav sated.
He also, castigated the Inspector General of Police (IG) for allegedly peddling falsehood that he did not see 300 corpses in Agatu while in the real sense he did not visit Agatu.
Smart further lampooned the All Progressives Congress (APC) government for lacking focus in providing alternative change to Nigeria and Benue State, regretting the high level of insecurity presently facing the state. He said the APC presented a better manifesto to what they are offering the citizens today and therefore urged them to engage reverse gear and fulfill their campaign promises.
