Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Môôn District in Turan, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, have called on the council chairman to facilitate the establishment of military outposts in strategic locations to prevent further attacks and enable them to return to their ancestral homes.
The IDPs, currently taking refuge at Anyiase IDP Camp, made the appeal in an urgent letter dated October 26, 2026, addressed to the Executive Chairman of Kwande Local Government Area. The letter, signed by Mr. Daniel Fatemanga, President of the Môôn District Youths Development Association, expressed concern over the recurring attacks and displacement of residents, particularly as the dry season approaches.
According to the association, attacks and displacement in the area tend to increase during the dry season, with armed groups reportedly taking advantage of the period to attack communities and occupy farmlands. The association warned that failure to take immediate preventive measures could lead to further attacks and displacement of residents in Môôn and neighbouring council wards. It therefore appealed to the council chairman to facilitate the establishment of military outposts or Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in seven strategic locations: Ikoawem, Bebeshi, Dura, Joinwater, Miande-Kusu, Miande-Avur and Ugbe.
The association expressed confidence that securing the locations would help block major routes used by armed groups, prevent further attacks and restore confidence among displaced residents who wish to return to their communities. It further stated that the provision of adequate security would enable displaced residents to return to farming, provide for their families and meet their basic needs independently. It maintained that the proposed locations could address between 30 and 50 per cent of the insecurity affecting Môôn District and surrounding communities.
While acknowledging the efforts of the council chairman to address insecurity in the area, the association appealed for urgent intervention before the situation deteriorates further. The letter concluded with a passionate appeal for security measures that would guarantee the safe return of displaced residents to their ancestral homes.
“We do not want food, we do not want palliative, we do not want any food initiatives or clothing support. If we return to our homes safely, we are gallant, hardworking and capable enough to take care of our own feeding, our schools, our hospital bills and all our other bills,” the letter stated. It further declared: “Give us security, not food. Give us our homes, not palliative. And we will take care of ourselves.”
The appeal underscores the urgent need for security interventions to protect vulnerable communities, safeguard farmlands and create conditions for the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Turan and other parts of Kwande Local Government Area.
