The Benue State Government has poured more than ₦160 million into healthcare interventions for internally displaced persons (IDPs) over the past six months, with the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), James Iorpuu, revealing on Friday.
Speaking to journalists, Iorpuu said the agency had spent over ₦160 million on treatment for snake bites alone between March and September. He disclosed that, in the absence of adequate support from humanitarian partners, the state government had arranged for displaced persons to receive medical care at the Benue University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, covering both snake bites and serious illnesses as well as emergency conditions.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts, IDP camp leaders speaking on condition of anonymity expressed deep dissatisfaction with the overall welfare of displaced persons across the 14 officially recognised camps in the state. The leaders, who represent camps such as Agagbe, Daudu and MEGA, listed irregular food distribution, lack of livelihoods, unsafe homes, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, gaps in healthcare and limited humanitarian support as severe and multifaceted challenges facing residents.
They complained that despite government promises of monthly relief materials, food distribution had become irregular. One leader stated: “Following the engagement, another food distribution was eventually carried out, although it was insufficient compared with the needs of the population. But since the last distribution about four months ago, we have not heard of anything again.”
The camp leaders added that some displaced persons from communities where hostilities had reduced had begun returning periodically to their ancestral homes to engage in economic activities and support their families. However, they stressed that several of these areas remained unsafe, with one saying: “What we are crying for now is how to leave the camp and return to our ancestral homes. Unfortunately, some of those communities are still not safe.”
Meanwhile, Iorpuu dismissed claims that a planned protest by IDPs was motivated by food shortages. He alleged that some individuals had encouraged the demonstration over restrictions on visits to the camps and that a SEMA-led discussion had been held with camp leaders.
The agency’s executive secretary also confirmed that SEMA was working with partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on resettlement-related interventions. Yet the IDP leaders maintained that greater attention and support were still urgently needed to address the persistent humanitarian crisis in Benue.
