SOKAPU expressed concern over what it termed a “deadly accusation” levelled against Governor Ortom.
The deposed Emir of Kano, was said to have in a recent video which went viral, made an attempt at roping Ortom with the unfortunate incident in Nasarawa State where some persons alleged to be Fulani herdsmen were killed in an air strike attack.
However, in a statement by SOKAPU Spokesman, Luka Binniyat in Kaduna on Friday, the Southern Kaduna body wondered why the orchestrated attack on the Benue State helmsman even as the Nigerian Air Force had owned up to the accidental bombing in Nasarawa.
According to the SOKAPU, it was preposterous and unfortunate for the former Emir of Kano and top Fulani elites to try to rope Ortom into the incident.
It noted that it found it curious and very surprising that Sanusi who had portrayed himself as a nationalist of some kind, “has reduced himself to a narrow champion of his tribesmen” in his desperate move to profile Ortom as evil before his Fulani kinsmen.
The group warned that nothing must happen to Ortom whom it described as “a great son of the Middle Belt”
The statement said, “the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) is very concerned about a well packaged bouquet of deadly accusations levelled against a great son of the Middle Belt, Samuel Ortom – the indomitable governor of Benue State – by a highly connected and powerful anonymous Fulani group led by the former Emir of Kano, Alh Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
“Let it be put on record that SOKAPU condems unreservedly the murder of innocent citizens or any human being resident in Nigeria irrespective of race, tribe, religion or region.
“Southern Kaduna has had more than it can handle from such cruelty especially in the past eight years, so we know what mass murder of harmless law abiding citizens means.
“Sanusi wields a lot of influence on the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai. But, el-Rufai has continued to show lack of capacity or will to protect or care for the people of Kaduna state, especially from the carnage carried out by armed herdsmen who are also referred to as ‘bandits’.
“Why Sanusi decides to put his gaze on Ortom in far away Benue State (away from the scene of the killings in Nasarawa State), when Kaduna, his second home is flowing with the blood of innocent citizens from barbaric herdsmen attacks, surely smacks of a worrisome agenda against Ortom.
“Therefore, Southern Kaduna, which is a formidable part of the Middle Belt, hereby wants to affirm that if harm happens to Ortom, we know who should be held responsible.
“We stand in solidarity with Ortom and the people of Benue State.
“We also call for full investigation into the Akwanaja bombing.
“We also ask that same to be extended into similar bombings that had taken place in Southern Kaduna.”
