Benue IDPs prevent ‘diversion’ of relief materials

Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the International Market, Makurdi, Benue state, on Tuesday prevented the alleged diversion of relief materials by camp officials.

According to NAN, the protest started when a truck, 2 Hilux vans, a bus and a saloon car loaded with relief materials from the camp warehouse, were about to drive out of the camp.

The protesters overpowered the security guards at the camp and blocked the camp entrance to prevent the vehicles from moving out with the materials.

The angry protesters reportedly accused camp officials of diverting the materials and abandoning them to die of hunger.

Some of the IDPs claimed they were not given any food items “for the past three days”.

It has not been confirmed where the items were being taken, as the drivers of the vehicles and their team members refused to disclose the information.

James Tarkende, an IDP, said: “When Gov Samuel Ortom and the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, visited us, they told us that nobody should divert materials out of the camp that is why we are protesting.

“In this camp, only few people sleep on mattresses, but we are not complaining. We are suffering, but because of the situation at hand, we understand with the government. But the camp officials have gone too far this time.

“This is not the first time they are doing this; most times, they do it in the night.”

Joseph Utsev, commissioner for water resources and environment, said the state government would investigate the incident.

The state government had on Monday removed the camp manager over allegations of irregularities.