The Benue State government has expressed its concern over the theft of food and aid meant for victims of the herdsmen attacks in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.
During the monthly routine distribution exercise in Makurdi, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency and Management Agency (SEMA), James Iorpu, appealed to the public, urging them not to steal the relief materials.
Iorpu emphasized that these relief materials were not intended to be hijacked and stolen, but rather to provide assistance and support to those affected by the crisis.
According to reliable sources, the relief materials include essential food and non-food items such as rice, beans, noodles, garri, red and vegetable oils, salt, sugar, as well as mattresses, soap, and detergents. These items were designated for distribution among the 14 registered IDP camps.
In addition to the IDP camps, the relief materials were also distributed to other persons of concern centers, aiming to alleviate the suffering of other displaced individuals while they await resettlement.
Aondowase Kunde, the Commissioner for Disaster and Humanitarian Affairs, assured the IDPs that the government is fully committed to their speedy resettlement.
Kunde further assured the people of Benue that the government is tirelessly working to improve their socio-economic well-being.
He also informed the public that several international agencies, in collaboration with the state government and other partners, are conducting biometric exercises to determine the accurate population of IDPs in Benue.
