Ortom vows: I’ll buy  AK47, AK49, others for Benue security outfit

Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has vowed to buy AK-47, AK-49 and other sophisticated weapons for the state-owned security outfit, Community Volunteer Guards.

The governor, gave the pledge while unveiling the security outfit in Makurdi the state capital on Thursday.

He added that the outfit comprised 500 guards drawn from the 23 local government areas of the state in the first batch.

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Ortom explained that arming the guards became necessary  since the Federal Government had consistently failed to address the security situation in the state and protect Benue people from “Fulani terrorists”.

“Given the fact that the FG has consistently failed to disarm the Fulani terrorists who have continued to maim and kill our people at will, the State Government is going to apply for a License to legally procure AK47, AK49 and other sophisticated weapons for the Benue State Volunteers Guards to enable them tackle these murderous terrorists effectively,” the governor said.

“To do this effectively, the Benue State Government had approved a two-week capacity building programme for Five Hundred (500) personnel of the Community Volunteer Guards to learn some basic paramilitary aspects.”

Benue State is one of the most affected in the acts of terror and bringandage across the country blamed on Fulani herdsmen and bandits.

Ortom himself had escaped death by the whiskers during one of the deadly encounters state, which has lost many indigenes and property in such heinous attacks.