Governor Samuel Ortom:

Richard Elesho
Youths in Benue State in their hundreds this afternoon staged a peaceful protest in Makurdi, the State capital. The youths said they were demonstrating against the exclusion of Benue State from membership of the proposed North East Development Commission by the Federal Government. They then demanded for the inclusion of their state in the commission.
Operating under the aegis of ‘Stand Up For Benue Now’, the protesters went to Government House Makurdi where they they displayed placards with various inscriptions such as “Benue is the worst hit by the activities of terrorists and herdsmen’, ‘if Kano and Plateau states can be included in the list of benefiting states why not Benue?, ‘It is injustice to abandon Benue where 13 out of 23 local government areas were sacked by terrorists.”
Their spokesperson one Mr. Idah decried the inclusion of some states like Kano and Plateau in the commission and wondered why Benue was left out. According to him, ” We want to use this medium to persuade all Benue State Indigenes everywhere in Nigeria and in the world to use every lawful and peaceful means at their disposal to persuade and prevail on Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom for the inclusion of Benue state similarly with Kano and Plateau states in the States-of-coverage of the new development commission for the northeast”. He argued that Benue state ought to be included in the commission because the people of the state have lost many lives as a result of attacks from rampaging herdsmen.
Speaking to the protesting youths, the Police Commissioner cautioned them against doing any thing that could trigger violence and break down of law and order in the state. The Chief of Staff to the Governor, assured that the demands of the coalition would be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari by Governor Samuel Ortom for necessary action.

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