Lack Of leadership Cause Of Insecurity– Ortom, Ndume, Sen. Philip Aduda.
.Gunmen kill 14 in Niger, Rustle several cattle
Nigeria in critical Lack Of Leadership – Ortom
.For Any life Lost, God will ask our Leaders – Ndume.
.Empowering the traditional institution would pave way for security improvement and safety of the people, their homes and land- Philip Aduda.
Helen Udoh-Abuja
Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom, has said that Lack of leadership causes insecurity
which lead to terrorism, robbery ,banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, farmer / herders clashes and other social Vices in Nigeria.
Gov. Ortom stated that, injustice, lack of good Leadership and the culture of impunity have conspired to create is the cause of present state of insecurity ravaging In Nigeria.
Gov. Ortom of Benue State and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume They spoke at the 2021 Press Week/Lecture with the theme: “Insecurity in Nigeria: Restoring Peace, Unity and Progress” organised by Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Correspondents Chapel held on Thursday in Abuja.
“Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and other quasi- organisations have declared war on the people of Benue state, including attempts to harm me”.
Governor Ortom who delivered a virtual lecture titled “Insecurity in Nigeria: Restoring Peace, Unity and Progress” painfully chronicled series of fratricidal killings of different guide from farmer / herder lashes, ethnic clashes, land tussle, banditry and insurgency in his state over the years to which several hundreds of lives have been lost and property worth over N90 billion lost.
The governor was apt to say that Benue is just a mini – Nigeria when issues of insecurity arises, all geopolitical zones in the country are unstable with series of insecurity.
“Our people have suffered genocide as many Benue citizens have been killed in their ancestral homes. Over 180, 000 of our people are registered in IDPs while over 500, 000 others are scattered across the country because of incessant clashes between herders and farmers”.
“Despite all attacks and killings, ” Benue people knows those who have been attacking and killing them but remain law abiding by not resorting to self help” Ortom said.
” Prosection of Miyyeti Allah and Cattle Breeders Association or any other group that have in the past taken responsibility for different attacks and killings “would have been the beginning of justice for several thousands of people killed”,He stated.
“Nigeria is in critical deficit of sustainable leadership” Gov. Ortom said.
He called for national justice in addressing security challenge as a means to ensure safety of all Nigerians in all sphere of the country to tackle insecurity in Nigeria
The governor submitted that the crisis in Benue and across the country by extension can be stopped only by activating justice for all, stating that no one is safe so far.
“For us in Benue State and other states in the Middle Belt, it is more of a sad story of not just herdsmen against farmers but also of banditry, kidnappings and other criminal activities just as it is the case with other parts of the country, Ortom said.
“In other parts of the country, it is also multiple evils of kidnappings, herders-farmer conflict, banditry, coupled with insurgency and other vices that have gradually enveloped the entire country, He noted.
“For now, no one is safe until we unite to fight this common enemy.
“Boko Haram seems to be gradually coalescing with these militants in this axis for a final showdown with the Nigerian State.
“Before the advent of Boko Haram, banditry and kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes were being perpetrated in almost all parts of the country. However, the influx of foreign armed herdsmen into the country has led to the escalation of these criminal activities.
Commending the Nigerian press for playing vital role in reporting crisis across the country, he said “fortunately for us, the press has always been in the forefront of charting new ways out of the difficult times we have had as a nation. This has been done at a high price.
“From the colonial years through military dictatorships, the Nigerian media has weathered the storm, taking risks on behalf of the people, most times, at the expense of their lives.
“The Nigerian press has remained a uniting and stabilizing force using its resources to allow all kinds of voices to be heard. Our gathering here today is a further testament to this fact.
“This opportunity will enable us to beam our searchlight on the aftermaths of our actions and inactions as our nation wobbles in the face of enormous security challenges threatening the very foundation, unity and future of our country”,Ortom stated.
“I, Samuel Ortom wants peace anchored on Peace, Unity and Progress”, adding that; “except Ranching Policy is adopted in Nigeria quickly every state will be affected by insecurity” Gov. Ortom said.
In the same Vein, Sen. Ali Ndume who was the Chairman of the occasion said while Benue State can talk of being attacked by herdsmen, it cannot claim of any loss more than Borno State. He said “there are more security challenges in the North East than what is happening in Benue State”.
“I believe the organisers of this lecture, the Journalists invited me based on the fact that I will speak my mind. This is what I will do and I must say that I am not going to beat about the bush” Ndume noted.
“The insecurity ravaging Nigeria today is as a direct results of injustice, equity and lack of good leadership. I am utterly disappointed in political class especially the Executives and Legislatures for the insecurity in the land”.
“I have said it and will continue to say it that until a son of nobody gets what is due to him without having to struggle for it, nobody is safe. And the culprits are the Executive and Legislature, they give too much excuses without getting things done”, an angry Ndume stated.
“I will disagree with Gov. Ortom because he focused much on his Benue state while insecurity is worse in my own state of Borno state and many other states in the North East as we speak. Pardon me, but I must say that Governors are shifting blames a lot without taking responsibility, He said.
“I can only tell the President, Governors and leaders at every strata of leadership to fear God because for each soul that have been killed, God will hold them to account.
“The country is faced with leadership problem where the elite are united in purpose of deceiving Nigerians while justice is meted out to the citizenry” He said.
“insecurity in Nigeria is as a result of injustice. Where there is no equity and justice, there will be no peace”, Ndume.
“There is partial or total failure if leadership from top to bottom. At the bottom, people are divided along ethnic , tribal and religious lines while there is unity among the leaders at the top”.
“Let us not trivialise, tribalise or put religious colouration to the problems we are facing in this country” Ndume warned.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator, Philip Aduda said empowering the traditional institution would pave way for security improvement and safety of the people, their homes and land.
He was Represented by his Senior Legislative Aide to District Heads, Adidas said “we must use the traditional rulers to hold their respective provinces, that perhaps, it may be very necessary to have the the Ministry of Traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy affairs to regulate the activities of Pastors and Imam who preach disunity among the population”.