Barely 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu paid a condolence visit to Benue State, a group of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on Thursday took to the streets in protest over worsening living conditions in their camp.
The demonstrators, mostly women and children, blocked a major road near the Makurdi International Market, disrupting traffic for hours as they called attention to severe hunger, neglect, and alleged mismanagement of relief materials meant for their welfare.
Carrying placards and chanting in frustration, the IDPs accused camp officials of hoarding and diverting essential supplies, including food items, mattresses, and other donations. Among the donations allegedly misappropriated were relief materials reportedly provided by Dr. Paul Enenche, Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre.
“There’s no food, our children are starving, we sleep on the floor, and mosquitoes are almost killing us,” one visibly distressed female protester said. “We are suffering, and people are dying.”
According to the protesters, at least two persons have recently died in the camp due to starvation and deteriorating health conditions linked to poor sanitation and lack of basic amenities.
The protesters are calling on the Benue State Government and relevant humanitarian agencies to launch an immediate investigation into the management of IDP camps, and to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution of aid.
They urged authorities to act swiftly to address the growing humanitarian crisis, warning that further inaction could lead to more loss of lives.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Benue State Government regarding the allegations.
