The presidency has expressed disappointment over accusations of complicity levelled against President Muhammadu Buhari and his government by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this on Thursday said President Buhari (has expressed “disappointment and sadness” over the litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent killings in the state.
In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, Shehu accused Ortom of seeing others’ problems without seeing his own.
Ortom had on Tuesday accused Buhari of working for the Fulani in taking over Nigeria.
The governor spoke in reaction to the recent killing of residents by suspected herdsmen in parts of the North-Central state. He also lamented that no fewer than 70 people have been killed in the last two weeks in three local governments in the state.
But in the statement which really failed to address the real issues raised by Ortom, Shehu said the lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which appeared to be the intent of the emotional attacks on the President by Ortom.
“He (Buhari) also states his disappointment and sadness to hear Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State, make a litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state.
“No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp.
“President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.
“The lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which unfortunately appeared to be the intent of the string of emotional attacks and blame laid at the doors of the President for those killings by Governor Ortom.
“President Buhari took an oath to defend the life and property of every citizen, a duty he takes seriously and is committed to ensuring , ” the statement read in part.
