Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has urged residents to take up arms against “the Fulani invaders” wreaking havoc in the state instead of the continued cry for help.

But Ortom, who made the call in reaction to the attack on Ahentse community, Ndzorov in Guma Local Government Area, said they should defend themselves only with lawful weapons.

Gunmen said to be Fulani herdsmen on Tuesday reportedly killed at least five people, injuring others in the community.

The governor and his Principal Special Assistant on Special Duties, Abrahams Kwaghngu, are from Ndzorov council ward.

Herdsmen in 2019 reportedly burnt Ortom’s rice farm estimated to be worth over N100 million in Gbajimba.

“It is no longer fashionable to continue to cry out for help. We must now be on the alert and ready to confront these killers. This is another way we can assist the security agencies in combating this menace since they obviously overstretched beyond limits,” the governor said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, on Wednesday.

“I want to call on Benue people to begin to arm themselves with lawful weapons as prescribed by law and defend themselves against the Fulani invaders. It is time to end this unnecessary shedding of innocent blood. We can do it if we cooperate with each other.

“The situation where killer herdsmen take shelter with our neighbours, sneak in and kill our people without provocation will not be tolerated any longer,” Ortom said.

He commended the law enforcement agencies for their commitment to ending violence in Benue.

The governor urged the Federal Government to collaborate with his administration and step up military operations to flush out killer herdsmen from the states bordering Benue.

(New Telegraph)