News
FULANIS’ PERSISTENT THREATS AGAINST ORTOM: A CALL FOR ACTION
We have watched some disturbing viral videos on social media in recent days, posted by Fulani extremists threatening to eliminate the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, for what the Fulanis claim to be Ortom’s “sins” against them while he served as governor of the state.
This time, the Fulanis have come out boldly with videos boasting about their capacity and tenacity to get their targets, no matter how long it takes. In one of the videos, two Fulani terrorists are seen heaping insults and threats on Chief Ortom and vowing that they must kill him someday:
“If we had killed this man, Benue would have been at peace. Come and see him (Ortom), stupid thief. If he is killed, Benue will know peace. Let God put this one in our hands; let’s finish him. God, please push this one our way; let’s finish him. Come, come, come and insult him. Use Pidgin English, use any language, insult him.”
In the second video, another Fulani man is seen uttering similar invectives against Chief Ortom:
“Ortom, better mind yourself. You are the one that caused all Benue’s problems. This present Governor of Benue, he is trying very well; he wants Fulanis to stay in peace with the people.”
His Excellency Ortom’s only “crime” against Fulanis is that he stood doggedly for his people and resisted the takeover and occupation of Benue lands by invading Fulanis. Governor Ortom rejected their lures and juicy offers when they approached him on several occasions to betray the Benue people, including repealing the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017 enacted by his administration. The Fulanis worldwide have not forgiven Chief Ortom; they have vowed never to do so.
To demonstrate their hatred and anger towards the former Benue governor, key Fulani figures and leaders came out publicly with their anti-Ortom campaigns. Similarly, various Fulani socio-cultural organizations have repeatedly expressed hostility towards Chief Ortom, threatening and even attempting to take his life on several occasions.
Below are some examples of threats, assassination attempts, and hate speeches by Fulani leaders and groups – all aimed at profiling Chief Ortom and making him a target for elimination.
On May 30, 2017, barely a week after Governor Ortom signed the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, led by its President Abdullahi Bello Bodejo and Secretary Saleh Alhassan, addressed a press conference in Abuja, where they vowed to mobilize Fulani fighters across West Africa to invade Benue State and resist the enforcement of the law. The group issued threats against Governor Ortom, whom they called unprintable names.
A few months later, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), through its National Secretary Malam Ibrahim Galma, vowed that Fulanis would never obey the Benue anti-open grazing law. The group also made scathing statements against Chief Ortom and demanded that he should repeal the law.
Similarly, the Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) issued an even more dreadful statement in 2018, vowing that the only way to achieve peace in Benue State was the elimination of then-Governor Samuel Ortom. The statement, signed by the group’s spokesman Umar Amir Shehu, said Ortom stood against open grazing and Fulani interests in the country, and that the solution was to get him out of their way.
Many other threats have been issued by Fulani groups against Chief Ortom, who refused to give in to their war of attrition and blackmail.
On March 20, 2021, Governor Ortom narrowly escaped an assassination attempt along the Gboko-Makurdi road. FUNAM claimed responsibility for the attack in a press statement titled “Why we attacked Ortom,” stating:
“Yes, we did. The Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) carried out the attack. We have genuine reasons. We acted on behalf of millions of Fulani people in 15 countries.
“It’s a case of vengeance against an infidel who has used his time and money to destroy Fulani values and inheritance.
“Our courageous fighters carried out this historic attack to send a great message to Ortom and his collaborators: Wherever you are, once you are against Fulani long-term interests, we shall get you down. This is a clear warning. We hope those who take us for granted will get the indisputable message.
“Our intention is unequivocal: TO KILL HIM. That mission will one day be fulfilled and very soon too.”
“Eleven FUNAM operatives were involved in the attack. Ortom escaped today because of a slight technical communication error. Next time, he will not be so lucky. We can assure him and his supporters,” FUNAM stated.
On May 7, 2021, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State launched an unprovoked media attack on Governor Ortom, accusing him of using insecurity in his state to criticize President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and, by extension, the Fulani race.
In October 2022, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while addressing an interactive forum organized by the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna, accused Governor Ortom of profiling Fulanis. Atiku claimed he had “a big quarrel with Ortom over his administration’s decision to ban open grazing in the state.”
In February 2023, 52 Fulani personalities, led by the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, signed an open letter to their patron, then-President Muhammadu Buhari, leveling various accusations against Governor Ortom in an apparent attempt to incite hatred, vilification, and attacks against him. The Fulani elites accused Chief Ortom of being responsible for the killing of some pastoralists at Akwanaja in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State via a bomb attack.
On April 9, 2023, the Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM), after a meeting in Zamfara State, issued a communique celebrating the election victory of Governor Hyacinth Alia in Benue State. The group again targeted Governor Ortom:
“We warned the so-called Ortom, who claims to be the governor of Benue State, that we would come for him and take Benue. He thought we were joking. Was he not defeated by our candidates in the governorship, senatorial, and state assembly elections?
“We will make Ortom pay for all the pains he caused our people over the past eight years. We told him he would not be able to install another anti-Fulani governor as his successor, but he ignored our warning. Today, he knows better,” FUNAM stated.
The renewed threats in viral videos on social media by Fulani terrorists confirm that they are still on the trail of Chief Ortom.
OUR STAND
We want to unequivocally state that the threats by Fulanis against Chief Samuel Ortom cannot be taken lightly. The descendants of Usman Dan Fodio are known for monitoring their targets for as long as it takes. But what Fulani terrorists must understand is that they will have all of us Benue people who supported Governor Ortom and demanded the enactment of the law to ban open grazing to contend with.
Fulanis should not think they have a monopoly on threats and intimidation. Chief Ortom cannot be vilified and eliminated for doing what any good and patriotic leader would do for his people.
Ortom did what the people of Benue asked him to do, and he owes no Fulani terrorist an apology. He rejected the billions of naira they promised him, among other juicy offers, and refused to betray his people.
Millions of Benue people are grateful to Chief Ortom and stand solidly behind him. No weapon fashioned against him by Fulani terrorists and their sponsors shall prosper.
OUR DEMANDS
1.We call for the immediate arrest of the individuals in the Fulani viral videos who have threatened that Chief Ortom must be eliminated. They posted the said videos on their social media handles, so they can be traced easily for arrest.
- We call on the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to beef up security around Chief Ortom and his family immediately.
- We caution Fulani elites and extremists against further threats targeting the former Benue governor, and we demand that they tender an unreserved apology for the years of profiling he has endured.
- We also call for the deployment of armed security personnel to the Makurdi-Lafia road, where Fulani terrorists have vowed to ambush Benue indigenes, especially travelers of Tiv origin, for execution.
- We urge the Governor of Nasarawa State, His Excellency Abdullahi Sule, to support security agencies in flushing out terrorists who are occupying forests along the state’s border communities with Benue, from where attacks are launched against Benue people.
Signed:
Enoch Bemshima Ortese
President
Benue Advocacy Network (BAN)
By Emmanuel Kuza
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State, Abuga Ovie, has described the name Ombugadu as a political brand, saying the popularity and wide acceptance of the name have made David Emmanuel Ombugadu a major force in the state’s political landscape.
Ovie, who stated this in an interview on Tuesday, said what started as opposition from some of Ombugadu’s biological brothers and people he described as fathers and uncles who betrayed him for personal political interests had now assumed a wider dimension, with political parties allegedly joining the battle against him.
According to him, the latest development was an attempt to undermine the political value of the Ombugadu name by presenting another person with the same surname, describing it as an indication of how far some political actors were prepared to go to weaken the PDP governorship candidate.
“Ombugadu is a brand, not a title. The people are not fools. They know their own. You cannot simply bring another person bearing the same name and expect the people to forget the political identity that Ombugadu has built over the years,” he said.
He further alleged that a former governor was working to introduce a political associate who had served as Accountant-General of Nasarawa State into the political equation, with the alleged objective of destabilising the PDP and weakening its chances by ensuring that the party fields a less competitive candidate in 2027.
“The plan, as we understand it, is to destabilise the PDP and make sure the party presents a weak candidate, thereby creating an advantage for the former governor’s preferred candidate. But all those efforts have proved abortive because the national leadership of the PDP stood its ground and refused to lose its best bet for the 2027 governorship election,” Ovie said.
The PDP chieftain said the resolve of the national leadership to retain Ombugadu had demonstrated the confidence the party had in his capacity to win the governorship election, despite what he described as attempts by some political actors to frustrate his ambition.
Ovie urged political parties and their leaders to resolve their internal differences instead of concentrating their efforts on Ombugadu, whom he compared to David in the Bible, saying he remained focused despite betrayal and opposition from those close to him.
“Ombugadu is like David in the Bible. Even when his brothers forsook him, he remained focused. Today, despite the people who have betrayed him, he remains focused and has a blueprint that can rescue Nasarawa State,” he said.
He said political parties should concentrate on presenting their programmes and convincing voters about how they intend to address the challenges confronting the state rather than expending their energy on attempts to stop Ombugadu.
“Political parties should fix their problems instead of wasting their strength fighting Ombugadu. Let everybody bring their blueprint before the people and explain what they intend to do for Nasarawa State,” he said.
Ovie maintained that the 2027 election should be about ideas, competence and the future of Nasarawa State, rather than attempts to manipulate political structures or undermine individuals perceived to enjoy strong grassroots support.
He urged the people of the state, particularly the Eggon community, to remain politically vigilant and resist what he described as efforts to make them settle for less, insisting that voters would ultimately determine who enjoys their confidence at the polls.
Reduce repeated references to Ombugadu
By Israel Adamu, Jos
Two hundred widows from communities across Langtang North Central State Constituency of Plateau State have benefited from an empowerment outreach organised by Gimbiya Gani Nandir Lar under the Jagoran Talakawa movement.
The outreach, held at Pilgani in Langtang North Local Government Area, was aimed at supporting vulnerable women and drawing attention to the challenges faced by widows, particularly those struggling to provide food, pay school fees and meet other basic needs for their families.
The organiser, Nandir Lar, who is the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Langtang North Central State Constituency, said the gesture was motivated by compassion and concern for vulnerable members of the society.
She stressed that the outreach was not a political programme but an expression of love and support for humanity.
Nandir Lar said: “The plight of widows may not always make headlines, but their struggles are real, painful and deserving of our collective attention.
“This is simply an expression of compassion and love for humanity. It is not a political programme.
“Our constituency is home to people with diverse needs, including mothers, widows and young people who are seeking opportunities to improve their lives.”
Former Provost of the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Amos Chirfat, commended the initiative, saying it had brought smiles to the faces of vulnerable women in the constituency.
Minority Leader of the Langtang North Legislative Council, Dirya Sheni, also commended Nandir Lar for supporting widows and other vulnerable members of the community.
At the end of the outreach, each of the 200 beneficiaries received a 10-kilogramme bag of corn flour, seasoning and N10,000 cash
By Francis Wilfred
The Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), and the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) have expressed commitment to ensure a full compliance with the Anti Money Laundering/Counter Finance on Terrorism/Counter Proliferation Financing, (AML/CFT/CPF) laws within the Nigeria’s real estate sector.
They made the resolve during a stakeholders’ engagement held on Thursday, September 10, 2026
The engagement focused on Mutual Evaluation readiness, risk-based supervision, beneficial ownership transparency, customer due diligence, internal controls and stronger collaboration between SCUML and the real estate sector.
Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE 1 Ibinabo Amachree, speaking on behalf of SCUML highlighted the strategic role of real estate operators in protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system, particularly given the sector’s vulnerability to money laundering and other financial crime risks.
Amachree encouraged REDAN members to move beyond registration to ensure that compliance is embedded in their day-to-day operations. He mentioned the areas to include: understanding institutional risks, knowing customers and beneficial owners, identifying politically exposed persons, conducting appropriate sanctions screening, maintaining effective internal controls and meeting applicable reporting obligations
He, therefore, reaffirmed readiness to working closely with REDAN and other stakeholders to improve compliance, build capacity and promote a stronger culture of accountability across the real estate sector
“The message is clear: effective compliance is not just about meeting regulatory requirements; it is about protecting businesses, strengthening the real estate sector and safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system”, she said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of REDAN, Lagos state, Mr Tony Kolawole pledged readiness to partner with SCUML in ensuring compliance with AML/CFT/CPF in the real estate sector to uphold financial integrity.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for REDAN members to share practical regulatory and operational challenges affecting the sector, reinforcing the importance of continuous dialogue between regulators and industry stakeholders.
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