It was also observed that most of the people killed in these attacks are men who are predominantly heads of the family.
They also appealed for the establishment of a clinic to care for their health needs, shelter, mosquito net to nip in the bud the outbreak of malaria in the camps as well as food to keep them going. Meanwhile, Benue State governor Samuel Ortom recently raised the alarm over the rising mental health crisis due to unhealed trauma and stunted self-development among children staying in the IDP camps.
According to him, “the security challenges that led to the present humanitarian crisis in the State is now exposing the State to food crisis arising from food insecurity, risks of producing a generation of illiterates as some children have been in IDP camps for over seven years, and a rising mental health crisis due to unhealed trauma and stunted self-development among others”
The governor added that sadly, we have been agitating for a North Central/Middle Belt Development Commission similar to the one created for the North East by the Federal Government to no avail.
“As you are all aware, over 5,000 of our people have painfully lost their lives to mindless attacks by rampaging Fulani herdsmen between 2011 and June 2022. It is horrifying to note that Benue State has suffered within the same period well over 200 attacks with property worth over 500 Billion Naira destroyed.
“It is for this reason that we can never thank the UN enough for resolutely standing with the people of Benue. We are overjoyed that you are here with us even today. Although we have stopped crying, our wounds are still fresh. Our land is still bleeding. Our people are still living in IDPs Camps. Our women are still traumatized. Our children are still deprived of a home – the care of a parent or access to basic education and healthcare, through no fault of theirs.
He said being malnourished will also affect their growth as well as their intellectual development because as children are growing up they need to eat certain food for the development of their brains. She attributed the lack of psycho-social support interventions in camps as one of the things that will lead these children to mental crises if urgent steps are not taken.