Benue: Gov Ortom denies asking for return of confiscated weapons

Governor Samuel Ortom has denied reports that he requested a return of confiscated weapons.

Ortom who made the clarification in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, urged Nigerians to disregard the report.

Akase said, “We read a news item published on Opera News site in which the faceless writer attempted to twist the recent call Benue State (Expanded) Security Council made on Nigerian military to release all repentant youths who were arrested on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 by men of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma on their way to be granted amnesty by the State Government.

“The said article which cited a tweet credited to special assistant to the Senate President on new media is not only false but also enmeshed in mischief and comes across as a mere figment of the writer’s imagination.

“Governor Ortom who presided over the Friday expanded meeting of the Benue State Security Council did not ask the military to return the weapons recovered from the repentant youths.

Akase maintained that the call made on behalf of the State Security Council was for the release of vehicles and other items such as official documents confiscated by the army during the operation including the official Hilux Vehicle of the Executive Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Council, Hon. Alfred Atera, in which the late Terwase Akwaza also known as Gana was being conveyed to Makurdi for the amnesty programme.

He said, “It is was the considered resolution of the Council that the release of the affected youths would enable them complete the amnesty process which would reshape their lives as better human beings.