From Joseph Uchenna, in Makurdi
The Benue state government has reiterated commitment to intervene more in supporting Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) access to healthcare,
strengthen protection mechanisms, facilitate resettlement and return of displaced persons to farming and other livelihood activities.
Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency BSEMA Sir James Iorpuu said this during an interview with journalists following complaints by a leader at one of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDP camps alleging challenges faced by displaced residents as severe and multifaceted, citing irregular food distribution, lack of livelihoods, unsafe homes, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, healthcare gaps and limited humanitarian support.
Responding to the allegation, Sir Iorpuu who acknowledged that SEMA was facing significant financial and logistical constraints, insisted that the agency continued to provide assistance to displaced persons and other vulnerable people across the state.
Food Distribution and Welfare of IDPs
Iorpuu said SEMA had sustained its monthly food distribution to IDPs despite dwindling resources and difficulties in meeting the growing needs of displaced communities.
He explained that the agency previously distributed substantial quantities of food monthly but had experienced a significant reduction in available supplies.
He expressed concern that some displaced persons did not acknowledge assistance received, explaining that their complaints could partly stem from the inadequacy of the support provided.
The Executive secretary said he understands the frustrations of IDPs because the assistance available was often insufficient to meet their needs recently.
He maintained, however, that food distribution was only one aspect of SEMA’s responsibilities, arguing that the agency’s interventions should also be assessed in terms of healthcare, education, protection, resettlement and livelihood support.
Alleged Inducement of IDPs to Protest
Iorpuu refuted claims that a planned protest by IDPs was not motivated by food shortages, alleging that some individuals had encouraged displaced persons to protest over restrictions on visits to the camps an individual he identified as Emmanuel Shior.
According to him, the planned demonstration was not necessarily a protest against hunger or the government’s failure to provide food, stating he has formally written to the relevant authorities about Shior’s activities in IDP camps.
Iorpuu maintained that public discussions about the welfare of displaced persons should consider the broader circumstances surrounding their complaints.
Healthcare Services for IDPs
The SEMA boss said the agency had taken steps to ensure that displaced persons received medical attention, including treatment for serious illnesses and emergency conditions, disclosing that, in the absence of adequate partner support for healthcare delivery, SEMA had arranged for IDPs to receive treatment at the Benue state University Teaching Hospital.
He intimated that more than ₦160 million have been spent on healthcare interventions between March and September for only snakes bites, although the specific breakdown of the expenditure was not provided during the interview.
He added that the agency also covered the costs of hospital admissions and other related medical expenses for displaced persons requiring treatment.
Iorpuu said the agency had engaged medical personnel to coordinate healthcare services for IDPs and had two nurses working with the hospital to support the process.
He explained that the medical team assessed patients, stabilised their conditions and referred them to appropriate specialists where necessary.
He also said SEMA had sought additional medical personnel from the state and federal health authorities after encountering difficulties securing doctors for the camps.
According to him, the agency had written to the National Primary Health Care Development Board to request a doctor to support its healthcare coordination arrangements.
He maintained that healthcare assistance was not restricted to people living in IDP camps but extended to other vulnerable people across Benue State.
Challenges of accessing healthcare
Iorpuu identified transportation as one of the major challenges affecting healthcare delivery to displaced persons, explaining that the agency lacked sufficient mobility, resources to transport patients to medical facilities promptly.
He said, “SEMA staff nevertheless made efforts to ensure that patients received attention, including arranging alternative transportation when ambulances were unavailable.
Drug shortages, health facilities in camps
Iorpuu acknowledged resource constraints affecting the provision of medicines and other healthcare services, averring that SEMA had previously supplied drugs to health facilities serving displaced persons through arrangements involving government health institutions.
However, he expressed uncertainty about the current arrangements for supplying medicines to some of the facilities.
He also mentioned the involvement of development partners, including UNICEF, in supporting displaced persons and improving their welfare.
According to him, some partners concentrated on stabilising displaced communities and supporting their eventual movement to safer locations.
His comments suggested that the sustainability of healthcare services in the camps depended partly on available funding, coordination among government institutions and the contributions of humanitarian partners.
Protection against sexual and gender-based violence
The executive secretary said SEMA had established mechanisms to monitor and report incidents affecting displaced persons and host communities, disclosing that the agency had trained 248 community reporters to provide information on developments in IDP camps and surrounding communities.
According to him, the reporters supplied real-time information on incidents within their areas of operation, helping authorities monitor security and protection concerns.
He said the reporting mechanism covered thematic areas relating to the welfare and safety of vulnerable people, including women and children.
Iorpuu maintained that the system was designed to strengthen transparency, accountability and early identification of incidents requiring intervention.
On cases of sexual and gender-based violence, he said reported incidents were referred to the police for appropriate action.
He also acknowledged concerns about under-reporting, although he argued that incidents needed to be formally reported before they could be investigated through the agency’s established procedures.
Expansion of community reporting mechanisms
Iorpuu explained that the community reporting arrangement was intended to improve monitoring beyond the IDP camps.
He said trained reporters were active in several council wards and communities, providing information about incidents affecting displaced persons and host populations.
He described the initiative as an important mechanism for improving the agency’s understanding of local security and humanitarian conditions.
He added that SEMA intended to expand the initiative to additional local government areas, including Logo, Kwande, Katsina-Ala and others.
The initiative, he said, was expected to strengthen reporting and enable authorities to respond more effectively to emerging concerns.
Education and reintegration of displaced children
The Executive secretary disclosed that 163 displaced children had enrolled in the federal government exchange program.
He described the development as part of efforts to improve access to education and reduce the long-term effects of displacement on children.
According to him, SEMA was working to mobilise displaced children for educational opportunities and provide transportation support where necessary.
He said the initiative was intended to ensure that displacement did not permanently deprive children of access to schooling.
The programme formed part of the agency’s broader strategy to address challenges beyond immediate humanitarian assistance.
Iorpuu stressed that education, healthcare, protection and livelihood opportunities were essential components of the support required by displaced persons.
Relocation of IDPs from school buildings in Naka
Iorpuu said SEMA had moved displaced persons from school buildings in Naka to a designated location, maintaining that the relocation was intended to separate accommodation arrangements for displaced persons from educational facilities and improve conditions for both groups.
He explained that the agency was working to provide more appropriate settlement arrangements for IDPs.
He also referred to ongoing efforts to establish a resettlement site where displaced persons could access basic services and gradually rebuild their lives.
The initiative, according to him, formed part of broader plans to decongest existing camps and improve the living conditions of displaced communities.
Resettlement and construction of permanent livelihoods
Iorpuu disclosed that SEMA is working with humanitarian partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, on resettlement-related interventions, stating that work is ongoing at a resettlement site intended to accommodate displaced persons and provide access to essential services.
He particularly, mentioned plans for a substantial healthcare facility at the site, which he said was being supported by UNHCR.
He also, referred to the construction of shelters and other infrastructure to support displaced persons moving away from overcrowded camps.
The Executive Secretary explained that the objective is to create conditions that would enable IDPs to live more independently rather than remain indefinitely dependent on humanitarian assistance.
He said some displaced persons had already been relocated to areas where they could engage in farming and other productive activities.
Allocation of land and agricultural support
Iorpuu disclosed that he had purchased land at Akile in Makurdi LGA to support the resettlement of displaced persons.
He said the land was intended to provide opportunities for displaced families to establish homes and return to farming.
According to him, some displaced persons had already moved to the area and were being supported to undertake agricultural activities.
He explained that the plan is to help them cultivate crops, harvest their produce, sell it and retain the proceeds.
He said approximately 110 displaced persons had been moved to the settlement area, where arrangements are being made to provide them with shelter.
He also, referred to the provision of semi-permanent housing and the allocation of land to facilitate their reintegration.
Additionally, Iorpuu mentioned approximately 88 hectares of land reportedly provided by the state governor for resettlement-related purposes.
He said these interventions were intended to reduce dependence on camps, improve food security and restore the livelihoods of displaced households.
However, the precise location, ownership arrangements, number of plots and status of the various land allocations would need to be independently confirmed.
12. Cash Assistance for Returning IDPs
Iorpuu referred to financial assistance provided to returning displaced persons through an intervention he attributed to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
During the interview, he cited ₦600,000 in cash assistance per returning individual to support resettlement.
He clarified that the amount was intended to assist individuals rather than households.
He said the assistance was designed to help returnees re-establish themselves in their communities.
However, the identity of the programme, its funding arrangements, the eligibility criteria and the precise amount payable to beneficiaries would require confirmation from the implementing organisation before publication.
13. Security Challenges and Support for Police Operations
The executive secretary also discussed security challenges affecting some communities in Benue.
He referred to a recent attack in Ayilamo, during which he said 14 people were killed, including six police officers.
He explained that the police personnel in the affected area lacked adequate mobility resources, making it difficult for them to respond effectively to security threats.
According to him, a police post with approximately 15 officers had no motorcycles to support patrols and operational movement.
He said the shortage of mobility equipment had affected the officers’ ability to pursue attackers and respond to emergencies.
Iorpuu disclosed that SEMA had provided four new motorcycles to the police in the affected area to improve mobility and support security operations.
He said the motorcycles were delivered as part of efforts to strengthen the response capacity of security personnel and assist communities facing persistent threats.
The details of the reported attack, including the casualty figures, location and circumstances, would require independent confirmation from the police or other relevant security authorities.
Broader humanitarian challenges in Benue
Iorpuu argued that the displacement crisis in Benue state could not be addressed in isolation from the wider national situation.
He noted that other states, including Plateau and Zamfara, also faced displacement challenges, although the nature and scale of the crises varied.
He maintained that finding durable solutions for IDPs required coordinated efforts involving federal, state governments, local authorities, humanitarian organisations and affected communities.
He said the ultimate objective should be to enable displaced persons to return to their ancestral homes when conditions became safe.
He also stressed the need to reduce overcrowding in camps by providing alternative accommodation and opportunities for economic recovery.
