SEMA distributes relief items to Benue IDPs, calls for end of killings

The Benue Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says it has distributed over 20,000 relief materials to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Emmanuel Shior, chairman of SEMA, said over 8,000 IDPs in Otukpo and 10,000 in Apa LGAs, would also receive the relief items.

On April 7, over 30 people were reportedly killed during an attack by gunmen on IDP camps in Guma LGA of the state.

Benue is one of the north-central states in Nigeria battling insecurity triggered by farmer and herder crisis as well as communal clashes which had resulted in the displacement of thousands of residents.

Shior said 3,500 bags of rice, 800 bags of beans, 3,000 cartons of noodles, 1,800 bags of garri, 600 bags of salt, 600 cartons of maggi, and 10,000 tubers of yams were distributed.

He said about 100 persons lost their lives during the recent attacks on Apa, Otukpo, and Guma LGAs.

He added that 60 people were killed in Otukpo and Apa, while 40 others reportedly lost their lives in Guma LGA during the invasion.

“The number of deaths was given to us by the chairmen of these local governments, who are the chief security officers of their respective LGAs,” NAN quoted Shior as saying.

“This development has added to our burden of taking care of displaced persons in the affected local governments.”

The SEMA chairman urged the federal government to support the state to stop the killings to enable the IDPs to return to their various homes.