Mbawa community disowns group over allegations against Ortom

Mbawa Youths under the auspices of Indigenous Youth Group of Mbawa (IYGM) in Makurdi and Guma Local Government Areas have distanced themselves from insinuations in some quarters that Governor Samuel Ortom was at Tyo-Mu for land grabbing.

Daily Sun observed that rumour had been rife in Benue following last Saturday’s assassination attempt on the Governor by suspected Herdsmen that the Governor had gone to the Tyo-Mu community for the purpose of grabbing land.

But in a swift reaction, the Indigenous Youth Group of Mbawa (IYGM) described the allegation as false, saying the “Tyo-Mu Concerned Youth Vanguard,” acclaimed authors of the statement is faceless and does not exist in the area.

In a statement signed by Ephraim Ikyumbur, Christopher Nyityo, Philip Bezu and Joseph Gbajime Kaduna, the Mbawa Community youths said the Governor did not go to their community to acquire land.

“Mbawa Youths wish to state categorically that the Governor did not go to Mbawa Community to grab land. In any case, the Governor like any other person has the right to buy land anywhere in the world including Mbawa ancestral land.

“Mbawa Youths wishes to also state that the so-called “Tyo-mu Concerned Youths Vanguard” is not known to Mbawa people inhabiting their ancestral lands as from km 12 to km 23 on Gboko Road in Makurdi Local Government Area.

“We wish to further state that in these times where there are insecurity challenges in the country, mischievous people should not be making incendiary statements that will add tension to the already bad situation.

“What we need from every right-thinking Benue citizen is sympathy and prayers for the Governor and every other Benue citizen no matter which political party he/ she belongs,” the youth group stated.

It however called on security agencies and other relevant authorities, particularly the Federal Government team deployed to the state to investigate the incident and fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act on the Governor and his entourage and bring the culprits to justice.