By Udora Orizu
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has expressed shock over the assassination attempt on the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, calling for a full scale investigation into the incident with a view to bringing the assailants and their masterminds, no matter how highly placed to justice .
Last week, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked the Governor’s convoy while on a visit to his farm.
The lawmakers, in a statement by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, described the incident as another daring attempt by the criminal elements to destabilize the state.
Elumelu said the lawmakers were distressed by the disposition of certain state actors, whose actions and body language appear to embolden acts of terrorism to the extent that criminal elements can summon the audacity to trail and attempt to assassinate a state governor.
He urged Governor Ortom not to be deterred by the attack and remain courageous in discharging his duties to his people.
While commending the security personnel attached to Ortom for their gallantry in repelling the attackers, he also charged the Inspector General of Police, to beef up security around the Governor at this critical time.
Elumelu said, ”We are alarmed by this brazen attempt by outlaws to assassinate a democratically elected Governor in our country. It is indeed disturbing that outlaws, bandits and terrorists have been so indulged that they now have the temerity to fire shots at, and attempt to assassinate a democratically elected Governor.
”Furthermore, the attack on Governor Ortom has again brought to the fore, apprehensions of alleged lapses in our security architecture, particularly given that the attack came on the heels of his continuous distress call to the Federal Government to take decisive steps to guarantee the security of life and property in his state.”
