In Benue State, North Central Nigeria, State Governor of Samuel Ortom escaped an assassination attempt on his life as he fled gunmen who attacked him on his farm.
Ortom had been on an inspection visit to his farm at Tyomu Community in the state when suspected herdsmen laid siege and opened fire on him and his aides.
The governor’s security aides stood up to the attackers until he was taken to a safe place while they repelled the attack. There are suspicions the attack came from Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, as his name was mentioned as the biggest threat to the existence of the group, in a meeting held in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. He had allegedly received intelligence report to that effect.
Ortom intendsv to write a petition against the group as their freedom and protection by security details in Nigeria doesn’t bode well for the country.
Ortom’s party and Nigeria’s opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) say the attack is a deliberate attempt on the life of the governor since it came right after the governor’s open condemnation of the attacks on communities in Benue State by suspected hersdsmen.
The party criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for failing to curb the rising spate of attacks in the country.