Disturbed by the condition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) persons in Benue State, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on President Bola Tinubu to address the humanitarian crisis in the camps.
This is given the hundreds of out-of-school children and many teenage pregnancies in the camps as a result of gunmen attacks.
President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, made the call during the union’s humanitarian outreach to IDP camps at the Abagana in Makurdi, the state capital.
Osodeke, who was represented by Profs Ralph Ofokwu and Stellamarris Okey, expressed hope that the Federal Government would do better this time as Nigerians are facing hardship.
The ASUU leader lamented the inability to safely return the IDPs to their villages and homes now being occupied by armed herdsmen. Food and clothing items were given to the IDPs by the ASUU officials.
Officials of the state emergency management agency gave an assurance that the items will be distributed transparently to the IDPs. On their part, leaders of the displaced persons said they want to go home if security were provided to clear armed herdsmen from their homesteads.
According to reports, since January 2018, IDPs across 12 camps in Benue fled their homes after killer herdsmen attacked the Logo and Guma local government areas, among other parts of the state.
Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily reported that four persons have been arrested by the Enugu State Police Command for different offenses bordering on conspiracy, housebreaking, vandalism, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.