The recent armed attacks on IDP Camps in Gbajimba, Benue State, resulted in the tragic deaths of ten internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The shocking news was disclosed by the Camp Manager, Felix Banke, during a visit by the United States Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USBHA) yesterday.
Mr Banke revealed that the attacks targeted both Gbajimba IDPs Camp 1 and 11, claiming nine lives since the establishment of Camp 11 due to herders’ assaults, with the 10th fatality occurring just a week ago in Gbajimba IDPs Camp 1.
Furthermore, Mr Banke highlighted the camp’s struggles with diarrhoea outbreaks due to inadequate access to clean water, alongside hosting IDPs not only from Benue State but also from neighbouring Nasarawa State.
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He emphasised the IDPs’ eagerness to return to their ancestral homes if provided with guaranteed safety, with many expressing interest in skill training programs such as hairdressing, welding, and tailoring to support themselves.
Meanwhile, at another camp in Ortese, Guma Local Government Area, the camp manager, Mark Kparev, reported over 11,000 registered IDPs in an ongoing biometric capturing exercise aimed at proper resettlement planning.
In response to the dire situation, the acting Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sir James Iorpuu, assured active collaboration with the Federal Government and international partners to facilitate the safe return of IDPs to their homes.
He also noted SEMA’s efforts to supply water to the Ortese camp following the withdrawal of Doctors Without Borders from providing the service.
