Herdsmen Attacks: Ortom laments increasing number of orphans in Benue

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has expressed worry over the high number of orphans in parts of the state and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps which he blamed on the activities of armed herdsmen.

He lamented that the people of the state are left to carry the burden of little children orphaned by armed herdsmen without any hope of survival.

The governor raised the concern Sunday, during the Thanksgiving service in honour of the family of Justice Polycarp Kwahar at the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, in Makurdi.
“It is saddening that most of the children in the IDPs camps became orphans because terrorist Fulani herdsmen killed their parents,” the Governor said.

He appealed to Benue people to pick up the challenge by making efforts to support the orphans who had been trapped in the camps without any hope of parental care.

While recalling that his family three years ago adopted four orphans from the Mama Abayol Orphanage Home in Makurdi, and had continued to extend support to that category of children, the Governor appealed to well-meaning individuals to extend similar gestures to the children in the state.

He said: “There are many orphans in IDP camps and many of them don’t even know their parents because terrorist Fulani herdsmen came and killed them. You can make an impact in their lives and God will reward you.

“I have orphans that I have trained too. Some bear their parents’ names and some who do not know their parents bear my name. I appeal to those who take three square meals to remember the vulnerable people,” he said.

The Governor thanked God for healing Mrs Nguasen Kwahar who was earlier in the year very sick but miraculously survived.

Earlier in his testimony, Justice Kwahar narrated how God miraculously healed his wife, Nguasen who was operated upon for appendicitis but relapsed into coma for some days thereafter.

(Vanguard)