Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has donated food items to over 80,000 internally displaced persons in Guma and Makurdi local government areas of Benue State.
The Committee is also carrying out a livestock de-worming campaign, which has reached over 100,000 cattle and other small ruminants belonging to pastoralist communities affected by violence in Nasarawa State.
The assistance, according to Majid Bakhtiary, Head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Jos, were provided to alleviate the suffering of people in the affected areas.
“The humanitarian situation here is difficult, and the ICRC helps the most vulnerable communities,” Bakhtiary said.
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Daily Sun gathered that the six weeks de-worming campaign which aims to improve the health condition of about 100,000 cattle and 40,000 sheep and goats of livestock owners, started on November 12 in Awe, Keana and Nasarawa local government areas of the state.
At the same time, the ICRC in collaboration with the Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS) concluded food distribution to some 80,000 people in displacement camps in Guma and Makurdi local government areas.
Additionally, the ICRC in partnership with the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services in Plateau State trained 160 people, among them NRCS volunteers, community animal health workers and community leaders.
The training covered basic animal disease and treatment that would enable participants to assist livestock herders in remote areas where veterinary services are not available.
Bakhtiary recalled that in November, 25 veterinarians and community animal health workers from 20 states received training in Abuja on livestock emergency guidelines to treat animal disease in conflict-affected areas.