Benue Laments Five Years of Caring for Displaced People

George Okoh in Makurdi

Benue State Government has, again, lamented the plight of displaced persons saying “it’s unthinkable to keep Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camp for over five years. The Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Dr Emmanuel Shior, who spoke during the monthly food distribution to IDPs in the state, blamed the federal government for their continued stay at the camps.

Shior, who challenged the federal government to give attention to IDPs in the state, explained with displeasure that the state which has recorded over two million persons  is currently faced with huge humanitarian crisis as more people are being displaced.

He recalled recent attacks in Logo Local government area where 400 persons were displaced and in Naka where over 200 others were also displaced, saying the state is planning on expansion  of the IDP camps to solve the problem of infrastructural deficits.

Shior said: “Because of the huge population of IDPs, it is not easy for the state government to cater for the IDPs alone. We have shared the concern that FG has neglected the humanitarian crisis in Benue which also has another leg which is crisis of infrastructure.

“The attackers have not only attacked the farming communities and killed and maimed and displaced people, they have destroyed farmlands, homes, schools, bridges, churches month others. So, this is a big problem and one wonders why such a huge humanitarian crisis is neglected by federal government.

He urged the president Muhammadu Buhari led federal government to turn attention to Benue especially as it has just a few months in office.

“This will help him write his name in gold. He is a father and we will not be tired of crying to him until he gives us listening ears. He has abandoned the IDPs in Benue. We hope that our continued cry to him will eventually get his attention to come and do something here before he leaves office especially as we are entering the election.

He also urged the media to  draw the attention of international donor communities to the plight of IDPs in the state saying only about 10 of such organizations are active in Benue as against over 100 in Borno.

The SEMA boss, who assured them  of government’s continued supply of items to IDPs in the stated that bags of rice, garri, maize, cartons of noodles and condiments were being distributed to Benue IDPs for the month of September.