The need for the United Nation’s high delegation to report the Nigerian Government’s neglect of the humanitarian crisis in Benue state and the dire condition of the over two million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the state has been advanced.
A statement by the information officer of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency SEMA Charity Agber disclosed that the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Emmanuel Shior made the appeal when he received in his office the United Nations high delegation who were in the state to assess its humanitarian challenges.
He expressed sadness that the Federal Government had abandoned the state with the IDPs “who were displaced by armed Fulani herdsmen, in flagrant violation of global conventions on the right to life and human dignity.”
Shior noted that the humanitarian crisis in the state occasioned by armed herdsmen attacks in the last five years and the influx of over ten thousand Cameronian Refugees had overstretched the lean resources of the State Government.
The Executive secretary recounted that “thousands of lives have been lost, homes, schools, markets, churches and health centres destroyed with over two million IDPs residing in seven official and eleven unofficial camps and host communities across the state.”
He however, lauded humanitarian partners and agencies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Doctors Without Borders, MSF, International Organization for Migration, IOM, International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, Civil Society Organisations, the media and other International and Local NGOs for their interventions in bringing succour to the Benue IDPs.
Shior said the situation that has lasted for many years had received skeletal assistance from the Federal Government as it keeps housing more than two hundred humanitarian agencies in the Northeast while less than ten are allowed to be involved in the Benue State humanitarian challenge.
He reiterated the commitment of the Governor Samuel Ortom led administration in the state to continue to strengthen, support, and enforce all measures in curtailing the situation.
Earlier, the JE older persons, Human Rights, United Nations,Claudia Matle said they were in Benue State to meet with Humanitarian Stakeholders and interface with the IDPs in order to have first-hand information as regards the humanitarian challenges, especially as it concerns the managing of the aged people in the camps with a view to enhancing their living condition and give them hope.
She said to foster healthy ageing and improve the lives of older people and their families and communities, fundamental shifts will be required, not only in the actions we take but in how we think about age and ageing.
The UN official who was accompanied by her assistant, Human Rights Officer, United Nations, Miss Claire Mathelliè promised to report exactly the information gotten and what her eyes have seen and sympathized with the State Government and the Benue people over the perennial crisis.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
