killed my Chairman in cold blood – Gov. Ortom
AS TWO BROTHERS GO TO WAR IN BENUE…
For about 48 hours, a tussle between two siblings took its
toll on the bustling communities of Ogobia and Ondo on the
outskirts of Otukpo, leaving in its wake the death of a
retired major and a former state Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Lawrence Ugbo; the Chief Security
Officer to Otukpo local government area Chairman, Mr.
Christopher Uja, and two others.
The quartet were killed by armed youths, last week, in a
crisis linked to alleged tussle between two brothers
belonging to different political camps.
The alleged face-off between the two brothers, said to
have in the past defied attempts to resolve, reportedly
suddenly escalated, leading to the razing of several houses,
cars and valuables apart from the gunshot injuries many
others sustained in the mindless attack on innocent
persons.
Though several accounts pointed to the alleged deep
rooted political rivalry between the two brothers for the
crisis, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the latest mayhem
erupted from alleged disagreement over the sale of land in
Ogobia and Ondo where the two major actors had property.
According to a native who craved anonymity, the elder of
the two brothers had allegedly laid claim to hundreds of
plots of land he inherited from their parents in the Ogobia
area of the community, where a plot of land sells for about
three million Naira, while his junior, who was allegedly given
part of Ondo land, which is less expensive, as inheritance,
allegedly resisted the move.
“The development had created bad blood in the family and
they had since been at each other’s throat while the
development led to several bloody fights with each of them
raising followership of young men who intermittently
engaged in bloody clashes”, the source claimed.
“Last week, we gathered that the elder brother and his
group stormed the community while his younger brother
was in a meeting with his own group and started shooting
sporadically which led to injury and death of two persons.
“The younger brother and his men scampered to safety only
for them to stage a reprisal moments later, which led to the
death of another two persons and several others badly
injured.
“The angry parties also matched to the houses of persons
they believed were their enemies and razed them.
“The fact is that the clashes and killing were just reprisals
and restricted to blood relations who ordinarily shouldn’t be
at war no matter the situation. That is what they have turned
our communities into.
“The most annoying part of it is that Major Ugbo was killed
and the youths bundled his remains into his car and burnt
them which goes to show the depth of hatred they have for
each other.
“They did not stop there. Mr. Christopher Uja was killed and
his seven-year-old son shot and taken for dead but luckily
he survived and is currently recuperating in hospital.”
Governor Samuel Ortom, his deputy and top government
functionaries as well as security operatives visited the
community for an on-the-spot assessment of the crisis.
The governor and members of his team, who ran into the
burial of Ugbo, the retired military officer, fought back tears
as they tried to console elderly women who wept profusely
while Ugbo was being interred.
Speaking shortly after going round the community, Ortom
urged security agents to ensure the arrest of the
masterminds of the crisis.
He recalled that he served under Ugbo as state Secretary of
the PDP at a point in his political life, adding that the
deceased was a peaceful man who gave his best to ensure
the unity of the country.
Ortom said, “When democracy came, Ugbo was the state
Chairman of the PDP and I was Secretary. We had always
been in touch as old friends.
“If he went into the military and came back alive, he
shouldn’t have died in this manner. I knew he was very sick
at a point but he came out of it only to be treated in the
manner these people did.
“We are leaving everything to God as Christians but, as a
government, we have the responsibility to protect lives and
property; so we will not allow this to be swept under the
carpet.
“If they had been going free in the past, I am assuring you
that under my watch, they are going to be apprehended to
serve as deterrent to others.
“However, I am praying that this is the last time such is
happening in this community and whatever foundation that
was laid for this crisis, let this be the end. I pray that Ugbo’s
death should bring peace to this community.”
The governor, who directed intensive security patrol of the
communities, pleaded with those who fled their homes to
return without fear of being molested.
Confirming the development, Benue State Police Command
Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent, ASP,
Moses Yamu, said four persons were killed in the crisis
while four others who sustained bullet wounds had been
taken for medical attention.
“The crisis was attributed to two brothers. As I speak with
you, we have arrested one of the brothers while the search
for the other is on-going. We have beefed up security in the
community and calm has also returned to the area”, Yamu
said.
On his part, the Chairman of Otukpo local government area,
Mr. George Alli, who described the crisis as unfortunate,
said the elder statesman was killed while he was speaking
with him on phone.
Alli corroborated the claim that the crisis was sparked by a
dispute over land and payment of royalties for same
between the warring parties.
“The crisis had no political undertone as being speculated
in several quarters. It was as a result of disagreement over
sale of land and payment of royalties.”
The governor’s team also visited Saint Daniel Hospital
Otukpo, where the injured victims were recuperating.
At the hospital, 13-year-old Joseph Inalegwu, who was shot
on his thigh by the armed youths, pleaded with Ortom to
save the community from incessant clashes, lamenting that
his injury could hinder him from going back to school.
Also admitted in the hospital was the seven-year-old son of
Christopher Ujah, who was recuperating from the gunshot
injury he sustained in the bloody fight.
His widowed mother, Mrs. Christiana Uja, nursing a nine-
month-old baby, could not respond to questions put to her.
She wept uncontrollably.
A neighbour, who accompanied her to the hospital but
craved anonymity, explained that her husband, a retired
policeman, was killed while their son was shot and taken
for dead by the attackers.
Pius Adakole, who was also admitted in the hospital but
recuperating from the gunshot he sustained, said he didn’t
know how he was able to run from the armed youths.
“They came in their numbers to my house, armed with rifles
and started shooting. I tried to escape with my family but
luckily I was the only one they shot. I thank God that I was
not killed”, he said.
After the visit, Ortom, who wished the victims well,
promised that the state government would ensure security
of lives and property in the community, assuring that
government would offset the hospital bills of the victims.
AS TWO BROTHERS GO TO WAR IN BENUE…
For about 48 hours, a tussle between two siblings took its
toll on the bustling communities of Ogobia and Ondo on the
outskirts of Otukpo, leaving in its wake the death of a
retired major and a former state Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Lawrence Ugbo; the Chief Security
Officer to Otukpo local government area Chairman, Mr.
Christopher Uja, and two others.
The quartet were killed by armed youths, last week, in a
crisis linked to alleged tussle between two brothers
belonging to different political camps.
The alleged face-off between the two brothers, said to
have in the past defied attempts to resolve, reportedly
suddenly escalated, leading to the razing of several houses,
cars and valuables apart from the gunshot injuries many
others sustained in the mindless attack on innocent
persons.
Though several accounts pointed to the alleged deep
rooted political rivalry between the two brothers for the
crisis, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the latest mayhem
erupted from alleged disagreement over the sale of land in
Ogobia and Ondo where the two major actors had property.
According to a native who craved anonymity, the elder of
the two brothers had allegedly laid claim to hundreds of
plots of land he inherited from their parents in the Ogobia
area of the community, where a plot of land sells for about
three million Naira, while his junior, who was allegedly given
part of Ondo land, which is less expensive, as inheritance,
allegedly resisted the move.
“The development had created bad blood in the family and
they had since been at each other’s throat while the
development led to several bloody fights with each of them
raising followership of young men who intermittently
engaged in bloody clashes”, the source claimed.
“Last week, we gathered that the elder brother and his
group stormed the community while his younger brother
was in a meeting with his own group and started shooting
sporadically which led to injury and death of two persons.
“The younger brother and his men scampered to safety only
for them to stage a reprisal moments later, which led to the
death of another two persons and several others badly
injured.
“The angry parties also matched to the houses of persons
they believed were their enemies and razed them.
“The fact is that the clashes and killing were just reprisals
and restricted to blood relations who ordinarily shouldn’t be
at war no matter the situation. That is what they have turned
our communities into.
“The most annoying part of it is that Major Ugbo was killed
and the youths bundled his remains into his car and burnt
them which goes to show the depth of hatred they have for
each other.
“They did not stop there. Mr. Christopher Uja was killed and
his seven-year-old son shot and taken for dead but luckily
he survived and is currently recuperating in hospital.”
Governor Samuel Ortom, his deputy and top government
functionaries as well as security operatives visited the
community for an on-the-spot assessment of the crisis.
The governor and members of his team, who ran into the
burial of Ugbo, the retired military officer, fought back tears
as they tried to console elderly women who wept profusely
while Ugbo was being interred.
Speaking shortly after going round the community, Ortom
urged security agents to ensure the arrest of the
masterminds of the crisis.
He recalled that he served under Ugbo as state Secretary of
the PDP at a point in his political life, adding that the
deceased was a peaceful man who gave his best to ensure
the unity of the country.
Ortom said, “When democracy came, Ugbo was the state
Chairman of the PDP and I was Secretary. We had always
been in touch as old friends.
“If he went into the military and came back alive, he
shouldn’t have died in this manner. I knew he was very sick
at a point but he came out of it only to be treated in the
manner these people did.
“We are leaving everything to God as Christians but, as a
government, we have the responsibility to protect lives and
property; so we will not allow this to be swept under the
carpet.
“If they had been going free in the past, I am assuring you
that under my watch, they are going to be apprehended to
serve as deterrent to others.
“However, I am praying that this is the last time such is
happening in this community and whatever foundation that
was laid for this crisis, let this be the end. I pray that Ugbo’s
death should bring peace to this community.”
The governor, who directed intensive security patrol of the
communities, pleaded with those who fled their homes to
return without fear of being molested.
Confirming the development, Benue State Police Command
Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent, ASP,
Moses Yamu, said four persons were killed in the crisis
while four others who sustained bullet wounds had been
taken for medical attention.
“The crisis was attributed to two brothers. As I speak with
you, we have arrested one of the brothers while the search
for the other is on-going. We have beefed up security in the
community and calm has also returned to the area”, Yamu
said.
On his part, the Chairman of Otukpo local government area,
Mr. George Alli, who described the crisis as unfortunate,
said the elder statesman was killed while he was speaking
with him on phone.
Alli corroborated the claim that the crisis was sparked by a
dispute over land and payment of royalties for same
between the warring parties.
“The crisis had no political undertone as being speculated
in several quarters. It was as a result of disagreement over
sale of land and payment of royalties.”
The governor’s team also visited Saint Daniel Hospital
Otukpo, where the injured victims were recuperating.
At the hospital, 13-year-old Joseph Inalegwu, who was shot
on his thigh by the armed youths, pleaded with Ortom to
save the community from incessant clashes, lamenting that
his injury could hinder him from going back to school.
Also admitted in the hospital was the seven-year-old son of
Christopher Ujah, who was recuperating from the gunshot
injury he sustained in the bloody fight.
His widowed mother, Mrs. Christiana Uja, nursing a nine-
month-old baby, could not respond to questions put to her.
She wept uncontrollably.
A neighbour, who accompanied her to the hospital but
craved anonymity, explained that her husband, a retired
policeman, was killed while their son was shot and taken
for dead by the attackers.
Pius Adakole, who was also admitted in the hospital but
recuperating from the gunshot he sustained, said he didn’t
know how he was able to run from the armed youths.
“They came in their numbers to my house, armed with rifles
and started shooting. I tried to escape with my family but
luckily I was the only one they shot. I thank God that I was
not killed”, he said.
After the visit, Ortom, who wished the victims well,
promised that the state government would ensure security
of lives and property in the community, assuring that
government would offset the hospital bills of the victims.
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