Governor distances self from killings in Zamfara

• Benue seeks help over humanitarian crisis

Reacting to the allegation of indifference levelled recently against him by Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa (Zamfara Central), Governor Abdulaziz Yari yesterday said government was making frantic efforts to handle the gruesome killings in the state.He described the remarks by the lawmaker implying that he was not doing much to contain the bloody attacks as reckless and scandalous.

According to his Special Adviser, Alhaji Salisu Isa, at a press conference in Kaduna, the governor maintained that he had no linkage with the Fulani herdsmen as portrayed by Marafa, who incidentally is of the same ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with the Zamfara’s chief executive.

Isa noted that his boss had a laid down framework “to address the menace of insecurity, especially cattle rustling, kidnapping and armed banditry that have denied Zamfara people sound sleep for many years.

He said: “It is therefore irresponsible and a cheap blackmail for Senator Marafa to state that Governor Yari and his deputy were responsible for the insecurity in Zamfara State. This is a clear mischief which cannot help the people anyway.

“The Senator should not be taken seriously because the allegations are baseless, mischievous and unfounded.”He pointed out that his boss, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, has been in the vanguard of ensuring that herdsmen’s attacks and other criminal were tackled once and for all.

Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom has sought assistance from the Federal Government, international community, public-spirited individuals and organisations over the humanitarian crisis created by the New Day massacre in Benue State.

Ortom, who made the appeal yesterday after a visit to three camps of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Makurdi and Daudu council areas, noted that the facilities were witnessing increasing entry from five to seven daily, resulting in the current 100,000 inmates.

The governor said although the state government had responded to the situation by providing relief materials and facilities at the camps, he, however, noted that the amenities were being overstretched, especially with refugees trooping in from neighboring Nasarawa State.He directed the commissioners for health and water resources to deploy more workers to the centres, urging the Federal Government to step up protection of lives and property.