Tackle ISWAP Activities Before It Is Too Late – Ortom Tells Buhari

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the activities of terrorists loyal to the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) before they spread their tentacles in the country.

Ortom supported the statement made by his counterpart in Borno State, Babagana Zulum, that ISWAP fighters are more dangerous and deadlier than the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Benue governor also urged the Federal Government to take seriously the alarm raised by Governor Zulum on the recruitment of more fighters by the terrorist group.

Ortom made this known on Tuesday when he received a delegation from the Victim Support Fund (VSF), led by its Chairperson, Toyosi Ogunsiji, at the Government House in Makurdi.

“I want to lend my voice to what my colleague in Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum has cried out against the activities of ISWAP in that part of the country. The Federal Government should not take this alarm from the threats of ISWAP lightly.

“Take proactive steps to send the terrorists away from Nigeria so that we can live in peace. We can not continue this way. Nigeria deserves more peace than what we have now,” he said.

Ortom appealed to the federal government to immediately tackle the activities of bandits and terrorists in order to allow Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to return to their ancestral homes without delay to continue with their normal life activities.

Recall that Zulum had warned that ISWAP terrorists must not be allowed to spread their tentacles in Nigeria.

The governor noted that the group is more educated and has access to more funds and other international terrorist organizations.

Zulum submitted that if the military does not crush the ISWAP fighters now, it can lead to greater trouble for the North East region and the entire country.

The Borno State Governor warned that ISWAP can wreak more havoc than what Boko Haram has done, hence the need to shut them down before they grow too big.