Benue House Of Assembly Summons Governor Ortom Over Killings

The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended sitting for one week, and summoned Governor Samuel Ortom after another church – in Logo Government Area – was reportedly attacked.

Seven persons were said to have been killed in the attack on Wednesday night, a day after 19 persons including two priests were killed at a Catholic church in Gwer East Local Government Area of the state.

The Assembly summoned the governor based on a motion moved by Mr Lanna Jato after the lawmaker representing Logo constituency, Kester Kyenge, told his colleagues that another church in his constituency was attacked. The police have yet to confirm the attack.

Based on the motion, the governor is to appear before the lawmakers on May 2 to brief them about the security situation.

Before debating the killings and resolving to summon Governor Ortom, the lawmakers held a minute of silence for those murdered in the attacks.

Some of the All Progressives Congress lawmakers, call for the boycott of the planned APC congresses in protest of what they described as the failure of the party and President Muhammadu Buhari to effectively check the criminal activities of herdsmen.

Hours after the attack and murder of the priest and worshippers at the Catholic church in Gwer East LGA, gunmen had struck a community in Guma LGA and killed 13 people before a third attack was said to have taken place at the church in Logo LGA on Wednesday night.

The continued killings have led to outrage across the country and the House of Representatives and the Senate have summoned President Buhari to brief lawmakers on the killings and what the Federal Government is doing to halt it.

Beyond that, the House of Representatives called for the sacking of the service chiefs for failing to secure the country against attacks and killings.

On Thursday, the National Economic Council weighed in on the killings and called for a ban on the movement of herdsmen in the five states affected the most – Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kaduna, and Zamfara.

The NEC said the best way to rear cattle was through ranching and urged the affected states to provide land for ranching.