Agatu IDPs Receive Relief as NCFRMI Donates Food, Livelihood Support, and Commits to Long-Term Solutions

In a significant move to alleviate the suffering of displaced communities, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) has donated food, livelihood support, and essential supplies to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. The donation, which took place on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the Agatu Local Government Council headquarters in Obagaji, was warmly received by the IDPs.

The relief effort was led by Hon. Tijani Aliyu Ahmed of the NCFRMI. The donation package includes food supplies, non-food items, livelihood kits, and seasonal farming assistance, aimed at providing both immediate relief and long-term support to the affected communities. The Commission has also pledged to work towards durable solutions to rebuild the communities and restore dignity to the displaced.

Hon. Amb. James Melvin Ejeh, the Executive Chairman of Agatu Local Government Council, expressed profound gratitude to the NCFRMI for the gesture. “We sincerely appreciate the NCFRMI for this generous donation. This act of kindness will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of our displaced people,” he said. He also extended thanks to Governor Hyacinth Alia for his unwavering support in addressing insecurity and fostering peace in Agatu.

The donation follows Hon. Ejeh’s passionate appeal to the NCFRMI during a visit to their Abuja office on August 21, 2025. During the visit, he submitted pictorial evidence showcasing the destruction in Agatu, which affected 15 communities, including Ikpele 1, Ikpele 2, Egwuma, Iwarri, Ogwumogbo, Okpokpolo, Akele, Okwutanobe, Ejima, Olegadapa, Olamachi, Ogbai London, Olegankolo, Olegadaechono, and others. These areas were sacked by bandits, leaving thousands displaced and without access to basic necessities.

Hon. Ejeh described the dire humanitarian situation, noting that criminal elements displaced families, burned homes and schools, reduced hospitals and markets to ashes, and rendered thousands homeless. “The IDPs have been struggling to cope with the challenges of displacement, including lack of access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education,” he stated.

The Chairman urged the people of Agatu to remain calm and keep faith in the Governor Alia-led administration, assuring them that the government is making frantic efforts to return them to their ancestral homes. “We call on our people to remain patient and hopeful. The government is working tirelessly to rebuild our communities and provide the necessary support for our displaced people,” he said.

The victims expressed their gratitude to the NCFRMI and the state government for the donation, describing it as a welcome relief in these trying times. “We are grateful for the support. We can’t wait to return home and rebuild our lives,” said one of the IDPs.

This donation marks a critical step towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in Agatu, with hopes of a sustained effort to restore normalcy to the affected regions.