Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia stated that the state is currently sheltering 500,183 displaced persons.
The governor who spoke during the joint mission visit of the International Organization for Migration IOM and ECHO to the state on Thursday said that the population accounted for 38% of the displaced population in this region.
He said that the people are dispersed across 26 camps and 185 host communities with enduring conditions that are far from ideal.
The governor said that the displaced persons are grappled with inadequate shelter, limited access to clean water and sanitation, insufficient healthcare services, and a lack of robust protection mechanisms.
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According to him, “such hardships have precipitated detrimental coping strategies, including early marriages, transactional activities, and reduced food intake, disproportionately affecting women, children, and persons with disabilities.”
However, the governor promised that his administration remains unwavering in its dedication to addressing the root causes of displacement and fostering sustainable solutions for our citizens.
He, however, regretted that despite efforts to address the challenges, attacks on communities still continue to affect population, saying, ‘with the recent attack over 1000 households between December 29th to date according to DTM latest report.
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