A fresh wave of displacement has hit Benue State, with the Emergency Management Agency confirming the registration of 18,592 new Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Gwer West Local Government Area.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, James Iorpuu, made the disclosure on Thursday in Makurdi while briefing journalists during the monthly distribution of relief items to IDPs and vulnerable groups. Mr Iorpuu, who also serves as the Executive Secretary of BSEMA, was represented by the agency’s Head of Administration, Donald Komgbenda.
He said: “We have established a new camp at NKST Primary School in Naka, Gwer West, to shelter the new arrivals who fled their homes due to recent violent attacks.”
A detailed profile of the displaced persons showed 4,648 affected households, comprising 8,650 women, 4,147 men, and 5,795 children. The figure also included 325 pregnant women, 637 breastfeeding mothers, 1,315 persons with disabilities, and 571 elderly individuals.
Mr Iorpuu explained that the agency had deployed staff to assess the situation at St Patrick’s Primary School in Taraku, Gwer East LGA, in preparation for possible interventions.
“Following the urgent need for assistance in Gwer West and Apa LGAs after the devastating attacks, the agency has already sent relief materials to support the affected populations,” he noted.
He also commended the Federal Government’s intervention in the security situation in the state. “I must commend President Bola Tinubu for taking decisive and proactive steps to address the security crisis in Benue. The deployment of the Chief of Army Staff to the state shows that the Federal Government is fully aware of our plight and committed to restoring peace.”
According to the permanent secretary, the monthly distribution of relief materials goes beyond routine. “This is not just an exercise in logistics. It is a demonstration of compassion, a message of hope, and a strong statement that no vulnerable person will be forgotten,” he said.
Items distributed included 1,325 bags of rice, 965 bags of beans, 475 bags of gari, 1,225 cartons of noodles, 105 gallons of red oil, 83 cartons of seasoning, and 43 bags of salt, among others.
The increasing number of displaced persons in Benue continues to raise concern about the humanitarian toll of lingering insecurity in the state.
