Displaced persons from Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, affected by coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders, protested on Thursday over poor living conditions in their camp.
The IDPs, currently staying at the International Market in Makurdi, the state capital, took to the streets and blocked major access routes leading to the temporary camp situated on George Akume Way, Makurdi, to express their frustration and the hardship they’ve faced since arriving at the facility.
They accused officials of the state government of diverting relief materials donated by well-meaning individuals and humanitarian groups, which they said has deepened their suffering.
One of the displaced persons, Fidelis Igban from Yelwata, described the conditions at the camp as unbearable due to starvation and a poor environment.
He stated, “Imagine, people would come to the camp and donate food items and other relief materials to us(IDPs), and once those items were handed over to the officials, it will end up not reaching us.”
He added, “Just few days ago, secretary to the government of the federation, Senator George Akume came to the camp and donated some items for onward distribution to IDPs. Up till now, we have not seen anything.”
He also said, “The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, came here and donated materials for our consumption, yet nothing gets to us. We are starving and dying here. We want to go back to our homes.”
He lamented the reality of being forced from their homes due to herdsmen attacks, only to face new hardships in the camp after losing loved ones.
“There’s no food, our children are starving, we sleep on the floor, and mosquitoes are almost killing us. We are suffering, and people are dying. officials overseeing camp management were hoarding and diverting donated materials,” he said.
Erdoo Targa, another IDP, said she was six months pregnant when she arrived and has struggled to access medical attention.
She said, “Government brought us here and abandoned us. No food, no medical care, hunger is telling us, we are starving and our children are getting sick day by day”.
She explained that the protest was to call the attention of the government and concerned individuals to their plight.
She urged the state government and relevant humanitarian bodies to investigate the alleged diversion of supplies and ensure fair distribution of aid.
Efforts to contact the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management, Aondoaseer Kude, and the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Dr James Iorpuu, were unsuccessful as they did not respond to calls or text messages.
The agency’s information officer, Tema Ager, said he was not authorised to speak on the protest.
He said, “Kindly get across to the Head of Administration of SEMA or the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management. They are in better position to speak to journalists, thanks”.
Temitope Onigbinde
December 14, 2021 at 8:52 am
Make this people sha no try nonsense