By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Victims Support Fund, VSF, is to provide over N1billion worth of relief materials and intervention to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Benue state.

The Team Lead, Benue State Emergency Support Program, VSF, Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji who made this known Tuesday during the flag off of the VSF Benue State 2022 Emergency Support Programme at the Ortese IDPs camp, Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of the state stated that the intervention would last six months.

Mrs. Akerele-Ogunsiji stated that the VSF which is founded by former Minister of Defence Gen. Theopilus Danjuma (retd) would also expend N180million on economic empowerment of the IDPs assuring that over 1,000 households would benefit from the VSF intervention.

She explained that the foundation had designed programme that would response to the needs of the people, stressing that “the intervention would cover seven strategic areas of food distribution, health and medical care, psycho-socio support and mental living, safety and shelter, water, hygiene and to provide support for primary healthcare centers.”

The Team Leader who said she went round the six LGAs to assess the devastation in the state lamented the massive destruction of infrastructures in the state describing it as ‘incredible.’ She urged the Federal government to take steps to reconstruct the damaged communities to enable the displaced persons return to their ancestral homes and engage in farming activities.

According to her “The VSP was established in 2014 to cater for victims of terrorism in Nigeria. It is to complement the Federal Government’s efforts in taking care of victims of terrorism.”

She noted that “terrorism has spread to the North Central that is why we are intervening. This is the third time we are doing so in the state. It is the first of this kind of comprehensive humanitarian programme in Nigerian,” she added.

In his remark, the Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior who commended the VSF for its interventions in the state lamented that the continued herders attacks in the state had worsened the humanitarian situation in the state leaving the government to cater for close to two million IDPs.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of VSF, Mrs. Naba Tanko who said she had visited some of the effected communities said, “the level of devastation in Benue state occasioned by the attacks is unimaginable. Rebuilding the affected communities is a burden that is too much for the state government to carry and therefore needs the support of the Federal Government.”

On her part, Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Prof. Magdalyn Dura who disclosed that 21 out of the 23 LGAs of the state had come under severe attacks by armed herdsmen in the last four years commenced VSF for intervening in the state and giving succor to the IDPs.

She disclosed that six LGAs including, Guma, Logo, Gwer West, Konshisha, Ado and Ojo would benefit from the intervention which would eventually touch majority of the IDPs in the state.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom who also lauded the VSF for the intervention urged the Federal Government to be alive to its responsibilities of securing the lives of Nigerians.

“Are those in Abuja not human beings? How can they allow over 1.5 million to be camp in this state without necessary attention? Imagine that over 22,000 people are staying in a camp under the rain and sun without meaningful intervention by the federal government, it is sad.

“If you don’t come to Benue state you would not understand the level of humanitarian crisis we are facing. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has not done enough about our situation. I urge the Minister to visit Benue to see the devastation, the trauma, the pains our children and women are going through in this camps then the Federal Government would appreciate the pains of Benue people.”