Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Monday said detained leader of the Indegenous People of Biafra (IBOB), Nnamdi Kanu and self styled leader of Yoruba Nation Agitators, Sunday Igboho are freedom fighters.
Ortom spoke on Monday while briefing newsmen at the new banquet hall of Government House, in Makurdi.
He said his call for the release of Kanu during his visit to United Kingdom and United States of America was because Kanu and Sunday Igboho were freedom fighters and not bandits.
“They should stop harassing Kanu and Igboho because these are freedom fighters. If tomorrow, I leave office and decide to become a freedom fighter for my people, nobody should harass me”, he said.
The Governor said his visit to the two nations was to correct the wrong narratives that the crisis in Benue State was caused by climate change adding that leaders of the the two countries he visited were suprised to learn that the attacks were beyond what they had been told earlier.
“Even during the raining season, the Fulani herders come to our communities to kill, maim and rape our women and even our men. These Fulani come from Niger, Senegal, Mauritania and other places.They only used that as a shield. Their main reason for attacks was occupation of our lands.
“I also called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho who are freedom fighters while they give amnesty to bandits”, said Ortom.
Speaking on insecurity in the country, the governor described the trending video on social media where bandits threatened to kidnap the president, Muhammad Buhari as the worst of security problem in the country.
He said that Nigeria might soon become like Afghanistan with the rate at which security problems plaguing it stressing that, “things are getting worse in Nigeria.
His words: “You know I said this before I travelled that very soon, with the manner in which the bandits are operating without proactive steps from federal government, they will soon enter Aso Rock.
“You have seen happenings in the country, the Kuje prison break and the threat to kidnap the president, God forbid but this is what I saw a long time ago.
“Those people in Afghanistan who are bandits and Fulani are the ones. They are being sponsored. I feel pained that this is happening in my generation. There is no government in Nigeria today. Those who are surrounding the president are criminals.
“Mr President, if you are listening to me, I want to say that you are not doing well, you have violated the oath of office you took, Nigerians are in pains, they are suffering, the socio economic lives of the people have gone down the abyss.
“You have left us digging our graves, we need a true change, not the change from top to bottom you promised us in 2015.”
