Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has donated food and non food items to 84,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across five IDP camps in Benue State.

According to Faiva Ayuba, an Agronomist with Economic Security Department of ICRC, Jos Sub Delegation, the latest donation is the 7th round of food distribution by the ICRC, to IDPs who were confined in camps as a result of attacks on farming communities in Benue.

“Today, we are doing food distribution for the IDPs that were displaced in 2018. 84, 000 IDPs across four camps in Guma and one camp in Makurdi Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“We are giving each household 25Kg rice, 15Kg beans, five litres oil, 1Kg salt, 250g soap and BP 5 (Compact Emergency Food) for children aged six months and above as well as pregnant and lactating mothers),” Ayuba told this medium.

Ayuba further explained that ICRC had registered 30,000 additional IDPs in June this year.

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He added that the newly displaced persons were given full package of food consisting 50Kg rice, 30Kg beans, 36Kg corn-soya blend as well as non food items such as mosquito nets, mats and soap.

“This is the 7th round of food distribution by the ICRC since 2018,” Ayuba said, adding that the independent and neutral organisation is maintaining 104, 000 IDPs in the state.

He stated that ICRC is also supporting three health centres in Guma, in providing free healthcare services to IDPs and members of the IDPs’ host communities.

While noting that the novel COVID-19 pandemic affected ICRC’s food and non-food support to the IDPs, Ayuba stated that the pandemic would have affected IDPs access to basic needs.

It would be recalled that the incessant attacks have left hundreds of thousands of IDPs in 10 government recognised camps across the state.