Ortom moves against masterminds of Benue, Ondo communities’ crisis

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday vowed to deal with the masterminds of the crisis that rocked Ogobia and Ondo communities in Ugboju, Otukpo Local Council of the state in which four persons were killed.

The Guardian learnt that Ebute Ugboh, a retired army Major, was killed while several others were injured in the crisis that was started by two brothers-Ijachi and Benjamin Udeh.

The late Ugboh, a former state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when Ortom was state secretary of the party was allegedly killed and burnt in his car by supporters of one of the suspected masterminds of the crisis last Thursday.

His house and three other vehicles in his compound were also set ablaze. But Ortom, who visited the two communities at the weekend along with his Deputy, Benson Abounu, and other members of his cabinet while the cremated remains of Ugboh were being interred, described the deceased as a very peaceful man who couldn’t hurt a fly.

“Ugboh was the state chairman of PDP and I was the Secretary. I saw many missed calls from him recently, but could not return those calls. Maybe he wanted to share some thoughts with me. He was a great man and for him to have died in this manner is unfortunate.

“If he served in 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 killed in that manner.

“We are leaving everything to God as Christians, however, as a government, we have the responsibility to protect lives and property, so we will not allow this go free,” he said.

While advising those who have been affected by the crisis to maintain peace and not engage in any form of reprisals, he said they should leave everything to the government.