Benue State government has cautioned the federal government against insisting on the 2023 population census without addressing the issue of over 2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state languishing in the camps.
The secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Dr Emmanuel Shior who spoke during the distribution of food and non-food materials expressed worry over the increasing number of IDPs following the recent attacks in some local governments where over 130 persons were killed.
He said, “I want to also reiterate the call on the federal government to suspend the 2023 census until the IDPs return home because if the census continues, many people will not be counted since they will not be in their homes.
“More than 18,000 persons have been displaced only in two local government areas of the state in the past three weeks.”
He said over 60 persons were sent to their early grave by herdsmen in Apa and Otukpo while more than 40 persons were killed in Guma, the home local government of Governor Samuel Ortom.
He expressed worry that the killings in Benue have placed a great burden on the state government over stretching its resources.
While appealing to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to live up to its responsibilities and do more by sending more relief materials to the displaced persons, Dr Shior also called on the federal government to put more efforts into ending the killing of farmers in Benue by herdsmen and resettle the IDPs who are already tired of staying in camps.
He expressed hope that the incoming governor will continue with the monthly distribution of relief materials to IDPs and even provide more considering that it will enjoy more support from the Central Government, since they are from the same political party.
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