The Benue State Government has spent more than N160m treating internally displaced persons (IDPs) for snake bites in six months, as camp leaders raise concerns over irregular food supplies, inadequate shelter and poor access to healthcare.
The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), James Iorpuu, disclosed this on Friday while responding to complaints about the welfare of displaced persons across the state.
He said the agency spent the money on snake-bite treatment between March and September through an arrangement with the Benue University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, amid inadequate support from humanitarian partners.
“Through this arrangement, this agency has spent more than N160m on healthcare interventions between March and September for snake bites alone,” Iorpuu said.
He added that SEMA had also facilitated medical care for displaced persons suffering from serious illnesses and other emergencies.
The agency, according to him, has continued distributing food and non-food items to IDPs despite dwindling resources and growing difficulties in meeting their needs.
Iorpuu acknowledged that the quantities of food previously distributed monthly had reduced significantly.
However, leaders of the Agagbe, Daudu and Mega IDP camps expressed concern over conditions across the state’s 14 officially recognised camps.
The camp leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, cited irregular food distribution, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, limited livelihood opportunities and gaps in healthcare as major challenges facing residents.
One of the leaders alleged that food assistance had become irregular despite government promises to provide relief materials every month.
The leader also claimed that SEMA summoned camp representatives for discussions after learning that some displaced persons in Makurdi and Guma were considering staging a protest over the prolonged absence of food supplies.
“Following the engagement, another food distribution was eventually carried out, although it was insufficient compared with the needs of the population. But since the last distribution about four months ago, we have not heard of anything again,” the leader said.
The camp leaders said their greatest concern was the inability of many displaced families to return safely to their ancestral communities, some of which remain insecure.
“What we are crying for now is how to leave the camp and return to our ancestral homes. Unfortunately, some of those communities are still not safe,” another leader said.
They added that some displaced persons from communities where hostilities had eased had started returning periodically to engage in economic activities and provide for their families.
Meanwhile, Iorpuu dismissed claims that a planned protest by IDPs was driven by food shortages.
He alleged that some individuals were encouraging the demonstration because of restrictions on visits to the camps.
The SEMA chief also said the agency was working with humanitarian organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on interventions aimed at resettling displaced persons.
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