By Dansu Peter
The group in a statement signed by Goodluck Ibem
President General, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, Terrence Kuanum, Coordinator, Forum of Middle Belt Youth Presidents, Shittu Waheed Coordinator, South West Youth Leaders Forum, Tito Zokumor, President, South South Youth Forum said it has watched with dismay attempts made by enemies of humanity and our democratic ethos to assassinate a soldier of truth and justice for his forthrightness and unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of his people.
The group said it is so unfortunate that those who swore oath to protect lives and properties of Nigerians are the ones fully backing the assassination of a man of good conscience and purpose for saying no to barbaric and wicked killing of his people. Too sad!.
" It is very disheartening that in a supposed democratic setting where government is anchored on truth, freedom of speech and expression has degenerated to a despotic regime were those who speak truth to power which is a norm in a democratic setting are target for assassination.
"The proponents of this assassination plot should know that no tribe goes to sleep when his political leaders are killed or assassinated. The Nigerian/Biafra civil war was as a result of a fall out of 1966 coup were some political leaders from a particular tribe were killed. To mark Governor Ortom for assassination is an invitation to anarchy and another civil war which will tear the country apart. We should learn from history and be wise.
"Nobody or tribe has monopoly of violence. These hoodlums and their sponsors who have marked Benue state for extinction should stay clear of Benue state now there is still time. They should remove the hand of a monkey from soup before it turns to the hand of a human being as the saying goes.
"We have watched with dismay how security agencies saddled with the responsibility of intelligence like the Department of State Services, DSS, State Security Service, SSS and other security agencies have not arrested and prosecuted those who attempted to assassinate the Executive Governor of Benue State Dr. Samuel Ortom in his farm neither have the arrested those via intelligence plotting to assassinate the democratically governor of Benue State.
"The action and inactions of the security agencies and those the take orders from is clearly a show of nepotism, chauvinism and cronyism. Nigeria is too complex to be reduced to such level of unprofessionalism and show of shame.
"Credible intelligence have shown were a meeting was held to plan how to assassinate the Executive Governor of Benue Dr. Samuel Ortom and the security agencies have the details and they have not moved to arrest those involved in such despicable plan.
"Our country Nigeria is owned by all Nigerians and nobody or ethnic group or tribe owns it more than the other. For one ethnic group (Fulanis) to target an entire state for extermination is vallainious and wickedness taken too far and we condemn it in its entirety.
"We warn those actors who are killing Benue indigenes and at the same time plotting to assassinate the Executive Governor of the state to stay clear now .
"We warn these evil actors to note that any attempt on Governor Samuel Ortom's life will be totally resisted and it will lead to the disintegration of Nigeria. Ortom is a defender of the people who have given a voice to the voiceless and we the youths stand solidly with him.
"We call on the governor to stand firm in his belief, conviction, forthrightness and unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of his people bearing in mind that only the truth shall prevail over lies and deceit. The youths of the Southern and middle Belt region are solidly behind him. Enough said" the group said
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