The Benue State Emergency Management Agency, yesterday, disclosed that some 120 births were recorded at the eight Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps across the state. Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior, who disclosed this to newsmen when Governor Samuel Ortom undertook a tour of IDPs’ camps in Guma Local Government Area, also said a total of eight deaths were also been recorded.
But Red Cross officials put the figure of those that died in the camps at 15. The Red Cross Officials, who pleaded anonymity, gave a breakdown of the deaths as nine in Abagena federal camp, one in LGEA Primary School, Daudu, one in United Nations High Commission for Refugees Camp, while the remaining four died at the LGEA Gbajimba camp. Over 160, 000 persons have been displaced since the beginning of this year following attacks by herdsmen militia on communities in Guma, Logo, Okpokwu, Makurdi and Agatu local government areas of the state.
The state government had, in the wake of the attacks, opened eight camps across the affected areas to carter for the IDPs. Governor Ortom, during the tour, said more than 50 communities affected across the fi ve local governments, have since been deserted following the herdsmen’s attacks.
He said the IDPs were still afraid of returning home because they get killed by the hoodlums whenever they attempted going back. “The communities are still deserted because herdsmen usually come in the night to attack and those who attempted to return also get killed. “This is still happening because there is inadequate security to cover the affected communities and prevent attacks by the herdsmen on the villages.”
