…laments worsening humanitarian crisis, flag off monthly distribution of food items to IDPs

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State Government has expressed worry about the worsening humanitarian crisis in the state lamenting that the Federal Government has neglected the close to two million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the state.

The Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior who raised the concern Friday in Makurdi while flagging off the monthly distribution of food items to IDPs in the state, said while the humanitarian situation in the North East was gaining all the attention of the Federal Government, the dire situation in Benue state had been neglected.

Dr. Shior noted that it was unimaginable that a state with close to two million IDPs could be abandoned by the Federal Government and left to shoulder the overwhelming burden of catering for such a huge number of displaced persons.

He said: “But Governor Samuel Ortom has vowed that he would not allow the IDPs die of hunger. He has also assured that even at his personal level he would continue to ensure that the IDPs get food to eat.

“The Governor has also continued to strive to gain the attention of the Federal Government to get their support with the hope of putting together a robust plan to get the IDPs return back home.

“Regrettably we all can see from all indications that the Federal Government is not interest in the humanitarian crisis in Benue, the government is only interested in the North East thereby abandoning the situation in Benue to the state government which is unacceptable because the burden is very huge.

“The population of IDPs in Benue state is close to two million and it is unfair that they have been abandoned by the Federal Government. But the state government would not abandon them, in fact the government has stepped up the food distribution exercise because of the escalation of the attacks by Fulani herdsmen on our communities and the consequent displacement of more of our people.

“We recently witnessed more attacks, in Agasha, Guma LGA, and communities in Tarka, Okpokwu and Kwande LGAs which have aggravated the situation and the burden we are shouldering is quite huge but we are hopeful and also praying that this phase should pass and we will have peace again because our people can no longer go to the farm which has contributed in the prevailing food crisis in the state and the entire country.”

The Executive Secretary disclosed that the agency would commence the food distribution with 4,000 cartoons of noodles and five trucks of rice while truck loads of maize, guinea corn, millet and cassava had been ordered for distribution alongside the rice and noddles.

Dr. Shior listed the benefitting IDPs camps to include those in Abagena in the Makurdi outskirts, Udei, Agasha, Ortese, Daudu, Gbajimba and Uikpam all in Guma LGA; those located in Anyii Logo LGA, Agatu LGA, Naka, Aondona and Agagbe in Gwer West LGA and Jota Aka, Ikyogen and Nihemba in Kwande LGA of the state.