COP28: Benue Lawmaker Seeks Aid For Displaced Victims Of Farmer-Herder Conflicts

The deputy chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Hon. Terseer Ugbor, has again stressed the need for international organisations to come to the aid of victims of the incessant farmer/herder clashes in Benue State.

The lawmaker, representing Kwande/Ushongo federal constituency of Benue State, made the call in an interview with journalists at the United Nations (UN) FCCC COP28 in Dubai, according to a statement made available to LEADERSHIP.

Ugbor, who has met with several international organisations during the Dubai conference, expressed optimism that his engagements would attract fundings that would bring a lasting solution to the crisis in Benue State by building homes for the displaced persons and provide nutritional diets for the children.

He said that Benue State had been terribly hit by the clashes and that there had been over 20,000 deaths and thousands of disengaged people in IDP camps in the State.

Ugbor said economic factors also contribute to the herders and farmers conflict in the country.

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“We are currently developing a documentary that highlights and showcases some of the challenges that we are facing as a result of the climate change, desertification that happened in the north in the Sahel region and how this has caused the migration of the herders from the north to the south resulting to the conflict that we face in Benue state and other parts of North Central Nigeria.

“The issue of farmers herders clash has become a perennial problem in this country the agricultural sector is heavily affected because farmers have been unable to farm as they used to and this is affecting our food security in the country.

“It is important that we don’t only look at the issue from the point of religious or ethno-religious crisis but also from the environmental and economic aspect of it,” he stated.

He lauded the Nigerian delegation at the global climate change talks, saying much needed to be done at home.

“COP 28 has been a successful one so far Nigeria has participated very actively I’m here to ensure that Nigeria gets the best benefits from COP 28.

“At COP 28 the loss and damage fund has been established and implemented and I hope that Nigeria can benefit as much as possible from this fund to invest in some of the mitigation and adaptation challenges that we have in the country.

“I’m hoping that the delegation at COP from Nigeria will negotiate good deals for the country so that we have good to take back home and report to Nigerians expressing optimism that Nigeria will return to COP by 2024 with a success story on all the achievements made after COP 28,” the lawmaker added.