BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

This is not the best of times for Benue state, not with the influx of over 50,000 internally displaced persons who on daily basis throng Makurdi, the  Benue state capital, from crisis- ravaged villages and communities in Guma and Makurdi local government areas of the state.

Aside those in Makurdi, there are also displaced persons camps in Kwande and Logo local government areas of the state.

The displaced persons who most times roam the streets of Makurdi, fled the invasion of their communities by suspected Fulani mercenaries have become refugees in their own state.

They have been made to live under harsh conditions in make shift camps scattered around the North Bank area of the town which have suddenly become their places of abode.

It is indeed a sorry tale of a people who are known for their farming prowess but have been forced to live at the mercy of donors who haul foodstuffs, clothes, drugs and essential items to them for survival.

Among the  displaced persons who are housed at the  LGEA Primary school Wurukum, Saint Mary’s Primary School North Bank,  LGEA primary school Ichwua and others spread along the ever busy Makurdi-Lafia road are the elderly, pregnant women and children.

There is no gainsaying that today Benue houses the largest number of internally displaced persons in the entire country and the situation is far beyond the capacity of the state government.

The situation in these camps calls for a well coordinated intervention from the federal government and anything short of that will obviously lead to a major health disaster in Makurdi and it’s environs.

A visit to some of the camps revealed that the inhabitants have had to contend with health issues as most of the camps lack good toilets facilities for the large number of inhabitants while most of the displaced persons sleep in the open.

Open defecation has also become a normal way of living for the inhabitants who are left with no other option especially where over 500 persons are made to use less than ten toilets at a time, just as scarcity of water in the camp is another challenge confronting the displaced persons.

Cases of diarrhea, vomiting and measles are rife and  being reported in the camps. Though it must be pointed out that health officials from the state ministry of health and other non governmental organizations  and individuals have been making frantic efforts to meet the health needs of the displaced persons, it is obvious that their efforts can hardly meet the needs of the people.

Only recently, it was gathered that close to 50 persons including children may have died in these camps, some due to old age while others were said to have been as a result of health complications.

This is indeed a sad tale of a people who ran from their homes for fear of being killed by arms-wielding marauders who have completely sacked their ancestral homes and destroyed their farmlands which hitherto were their sources of livelihood.

It was also gathered that over 120 new births have been recorded in the camps in last few weeks, but unfortunately, some of the babies were delivered in the camps without proper medical attention.

Though  most of the babies were in good condition, it was discovered that the nursing mothers were in dire need of good food and proper medical attention.

One of the nursing mothers at the LGEA primary School Wurukum, who gave her name as Mrs. Monica Lubem said she gave birth to her baby one week ago without the assistance of a midwife.

“I  gave birth to my baby about seven days ago. When my labour started, I could not get to the hospital because of our situation, so women gathered and helped me to deliver my baby girl.

“That is also what happened to about 16 of the women who recently gave birth to new babies in our camp. Our major problem is that most of us do not have access to good food and proper medication for our babies. We also do not have enough mosquito nets to sleep with in our open camp.”

The same complaint was also raised by Comfort Terna who two days ago gave birth to a baby boy at the Ichwa camp.

“It is not easy for us. Since I put to bed, I have not been able to access proper medical attention. Besides, getting good food to eat is also a major problem for us.
“Only recently, we were given truck loads of some food items and supplements, nets, wrappers,  some essential items and blankets by the Director General of NAFDAC. “Outside that, we are actually going through harrowing pains.”

The Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii who addressed the displaced persons after delivering relief materials to them  pledged to mobilize his friends and donor agencies to intervene in the state.

The physically moved Orhii who lamented the condition of the people promised to also work with relevant agencies and organizations to bring succour to the displaced persons.

While commending the state government for the level of assistance so far rendered to the people, Orhii noted that the situation on ground was far beyond the state and local governments.

“The truth is that the state government needs help in order to be able to bring succour to these people. This is the time for the friends of Benue state to reach out to these people.”

While expressing concern over what he described as the looming food shortages in the state and probably the country as a result of the displacement of the farming populace, the NAFDAC Director General remarked that efforts were in top gear to ensure that peace returns to the troubled communities to enable the people return to their ancestral homes.

He also cautioned against reprisal attacks on any ethnic group advising that the people of the state should be patient and allow the state and federal governments to find an amicable solution to the crisis.

Aside the NAFDAC boss, many other groups and individuals have been visiting the camps with relief materials. It is however imperative to note that the ongoing efforts to ensure the quick resolution of the crisis between Benue farmers and the herders should be supported to succeed.

When this is accomplished, the next move would be to ensure the safe return of the displaced persons to their ancestral homes to enable them pick up their lives again and move back to their farms from where they eke out a living.