I am being targeted for elimination – Ortom cries out

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has cried out that a group of Fulani elite led by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi are after his life.

The governor made the allegation while speaking at a World Press Conference held recently.

He noted that the allegations by the group against him is a desperate attempt by the group to to set him up for hatred, vilification and attacks.

“My attention was drawn to a write-up signed by 52 personalities of Fulani extraction led by the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi in form of a letter to Mr President,” the governor stated.


“The group which refused to give itself a name, accused me of being responsible for the recent killing of some pastoralists at Akwanaja, Doma Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa state via a bomb attack.

“They tried to link the Benue State Livestock Guards with the killings, claiming that the pastoralists were bombed on their way from Benue to Nasarawa after they had retrieved their cattle.

“The group maliciously accused me of carrying out genocide against pastoralists. The dethroned Emir Sanusi did not stop at that. He made a video in Hausa in which he maligned me and called on all Fulanis to consider me as their enemy while urging those in Benue state to vote against me during the coming elections,” he further explained.

The governor, however stressed that, “I consider these allegations and blackmail targeted at my person and the Government of Benue state as part of a grand conspiracy by enemies of the state to eliminate me.

“Since 2017 when we enacted the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, I have escaped seven assassination attempts. Those behind the evil plots have not hidden their motive. They have made me an enemy for choosing to stand with my people and defending their rights to life and freedom.”