Benue: Second Batch Of IDPs Move To Resettlement Homes

Benue State government has disclosed that 835 of the second batch of Internally Displaced Persons, comprising 171 households at the NEPA Quarters Camp in North Bank Makurdi, have been moved from the NEPA Quarters temporary camp constructed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) along Makurdi—Gbajimba Road.

The executive secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sir James Iorapuu, disclosed this to the Mbayongo community during the resettlement of the second batch of IDPs of NEPA Quarters. Yesterday’s movement brought the number of IDPs to 4,533, while the total number of households stands at 1,285.

The executive secretary, who spoke through the agency’s information officer, Tema Ager, also said that even though the construction of the shelters is ongoing, over 5,000 have already been completed for habitation, and so far, IDPs from two camps, NEPA and Baka, have been temporarily resettled.

According to him, boreholes, solar lights, schools, and markets, among other social amenities, are also in the resettlement camp, while security will also be beefed up to ensure adequate protection of the IDPs.

He maintained that the Mbayongo community resettlement camp is going to host 3 IDPs camps, including NEPA Quarters, Ichwa, and Baka, informing that Ichwa is the next camp to move soonest.

Recalled that the commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Aondowase Kunde, had earlier said that the resettlement of IDPs began on Friday, October 17, 2024, describing it as a major step towards fulfilling Governor Alia’s campaign promise of returning IDPs back to their ancestral homes.

He explained that the exercise is coordinated by his office alongside Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, IOM, and other stakeholders.

The senior emergency coordinator with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Motesin Handan, in one of his outings, said with the humanitarian crises in the State, they will advocate for more partners to complement their support for the resettlement and rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have suffered untold hardship due to long stay in IDPs camps.