Obj. reacts to attack on his farm, Gov. Ortom orders full-scale investigation
Nigeria's former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has reacted to the attack on his farmland at Hawe in Aliade area of Gwer East local government of Benue state by some suspected hoodlums.
The former president said the destruction and burning down of his 2,420 hectares of farmland is a bad development.
In a statement issued by his special assistant on media, Kehinde Akinyemi, in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Obasanjo said government at the state and local government level have taken up the matter.
Noting that he is assured that the governments would fish out the perpetrators of the crime, the former president thanked all those who identified with him over the incident.
The statement also said that despite the huge loss caused by the attack, it is gladdening to note that no single life was lost in the incident.
Channels Television had reported that the chairman of the local government where the incident occurred told Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom that the 2,420 hectares of mango plantation belonging to Obasanjo have been razed down.
Emmanuel Otserga said over half of the mango farm, covering over 139 hectares of land was razed by some suspected hoodlums.
He added that following the issue, four suspects have been arrested and more were being trailed to ensure they are all brought to justice.
Otserga said:
“From the look of things, the fire was caused by the deliberate act of mischief-makers. The farm is well safeguarded, there is no way fire can cross over from any quarter into the farm”.
Meanwhile the Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, has expressed great displeasure over the fire incident that affected the mango farm of a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo in Howe, Gwer local government area of Benue state.
Ortom, in a statement issued by Nathaniel Ikyur, his chief press secretary on Tuesday, February 1, ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident considered unfortunate.
He maintained that the investigation “would unravel the remote and immediate cause of the fire outbreak.
Obtaining the report of the incident as presented to him by the Chairman of Gwer Local Government Council, Emmanuel Otserga, the governor affirmed that where it is discovered that the fire was an act of sabotage, the perpetrators must be brought to book
According to him, those in the habit of sabotaging his government’s effort would fail.
He further warned that his government would not tolerate anyone trying to pull the state down as there are deliberate policies to encourage local and foreign investors and with particular emphasis on Agriculture.
The Governor, while tasking security operatives in the state to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book and such incident does not happen again, said the incident was the height of irresponsibility.
He said it was an irresponsible act for anyone to have conceived the idea of setting ablaze a farm that was capable of boosting the economic development of the area in particular and state.
Ortom said:
"Obasanjo as a former president is a statesman and needs to be accorded his due respect anywhere in Nigeria and Benue State cannot be an exception."
He urged the Benue state commissioner of police to not relent but to go after the perpetrators by way of arresting and bringing them to book.
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