Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Herdsmen have invaded two Internally Displaced Persons at Gbajimba camp 1 and 2 in Guma Local Government Area of Benue state, killing 10 persons in the process.
The Camp Commandant, Mr Felix Aponi Banke, disclosed this when the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA),Sir James Iorpuu visited the camp.
He visited in company with a delegation of International Humanitarian Organizations, including the United States Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, (USBHA), who are on facts finding visit to IDP camps in the state.
According to the Camp Commandant, the armed herdsmen have killed nine IDPs in camp 2 so far since its establishment some three years ago with the latest being last week when they invaded and killed one person at IDP camp 1, in Gbajimba . He said the latest victims are yet to be buried.
He told the visitors that there was a need to ensure security of the people to prevent the killings saying that when death occures in the camp, a place to bury them becomes a problem since IDPs cannot access their ancestral homes at the point of death.
“The camp leadership usually meets with the District Head and other host community leaders who provide a parcel of land for interment. We need security and other life support facilities,” Banke said.
He however, stressed that the major challenges being faced by occupants in the camp is diarrhoea due to lack of portable water supply in the camp and called on the government and international donors to come to their aid.
Banke, who noted that some IDPs are from Nasarawa state said if security is guaranteed, they are willing to return to their ancestral homes.
Some of the occupants who spoke during the visit told the donors that if they have training opportunities, they will be willing to be trained in the area of welding, fabrication, hair dressing, tailoring, baking, among others so as to be self sufficient.
“This is harmattan season, we stay in the cold and in dehumanizing conditions due to activities of terrorists. Our hope is high that one day, God will help us to leave this places to our own homes,” one of the occupants, James Ayator, said.
The team also visited IDP camp in Ortese in Guma Local Government Area where the Camp Commandant, Mr Mark Kparev, disclosed that over 11, 000 Persons have been captured in the ongoing IDP biometric exercise.
At the time of the visit, herdsmen were seen grazing openly behind Ortese camp, where the people said they can no longer sleep with their eyes open for fear of further attacks by herders.
In his remarks, the executive secretary of SEMA, Sir James Iorpuu, noted that Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration is working with the Federal Government and International Community to ensure safe and quick return of the displaced persons to their ancestral homes.
According to him, following the withdrawal of Doctors Without Borders Medicines San Frontiers, (MSF), from supply of water to IDP camps, the agency has taken the responsibility of water supply to cushion the effect of shortage of water among others.