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After Public Spat Over Arm-bearing Herders, Ortom, Bauchi Gov. Reconcile
Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state, and Bala Mohammed, his Bauchi counterpart, have settled their differences after attacking one another over the legality or otherwise of herdsmen who bear arms.
The face-off cast the searchlight of the media on both governors.
Mohammed had on February 12 justified the possession of weapon by herdermen, saying they need the weapon to defend themselves as the nature of their pastoral endeavours exposed them to danger.
He also said the herders resorted to use of fireaems because the society and government havd abdicated in its responsibility of providing security for them.
“Because the Fulani man is practising the tradition of pastoralism, he has been exposed to the vagaries of the forest — cattle rustlers who carry guns, kill him and take away his commonwealth, which is the cows,” he had said.
Reacting to Mohammed’s claim, Ortom warned him to refrain from making such comments as it could set the country on fire.
Replying to Ortom’s rebuttal, Mohammed doubled down on his justification for arm-bearing herdsmen, accusing Ortom of fuelling the criminalisation of the Fulani tribe.
Ortom and Mohammed
The fierce exchanges between the duo continued even up till last week when the Benue governor accused Mohammed of being part of a group “terrorising this country”.
“Anyone who is not willing to respect the laws of our land should go and meet Bala Mohammed, and there you can carry AK-47, and you’ll not be apprehended,” Ortom had also said.
This prompted the PDP to intervene in a bid to reconcile the two governors.
The duo embraced on Tuesday after a meeting initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
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