Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has denied allegations making the rounds that he own a snake farm at his Oracle Farm along Naka Road, Makurdi:

“I have been saving lives of those bitten by snakes. Rather than inflicting pains on people through snake farm. However, there is nothing wrong for anybody to go into any kind of farming, including snake farming, which the constitution permits. I received a divine mandate 20 years ago to assist victims of snake bites who cannot afford to pay for their treatment, and i have been doing that.”

“I run a foundation that is specifically established to cater for the poor and peasant farmers in the rural areas that are bitten by snakes but have no means of treatment. I have decided to retain St. Theresa and Rahama Hospitals, Makurdi, where people who are bitten by snakes go for treatment.”

“Snakes have become a burden to the state and that if I have the power, I would have killed all the snakes in Benue State; in the last three months. As at June ending when the management of St. Theresa Hospital, Makurdi, brought the accumulated bills of three months to me, I had incurred N31m for treating victims of snake bites.”

There has been allegation that the governor owns snakes farm at his Oracle Farm along Naka Road, Makurdi; and that the three containers fully loaded with snakes seized by the Nigerian Customs in Calabar recently are owned by him.