The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says 80 families from Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state have returned to their ancestral homes in Makurdi, the state capital.

SEMA’s executive secretary, James Iorpuu, disclosed this on Monday during the monthly relief distribution exercise in Makurdi.

Mr Iorpuu, also the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, said the IPDs returned to the Tatyough and Tyomu communities.

Represented by Donald Komgbenda, he said SEMA had provided basic amenities in the two communities to improve their standard of living.

He noted that the challenges facing IDPs in the state remained enormous but commended the governor for his “remarkable compassion and determination in addressing them through practical interventions.”

Mr Iorpuu disclosed that the food and non-food items would be distributed across 15 official IDP camps in the state.

He stated that the Benue government was taking steps to restore livelihoods and rebuild communities.

“In collaboration with our partners, Benue SEMA has commenced the biometric review and issuance of new identity cards to IDPs in camps and host communities to ensure proper documentation and inclusion.

“Through our partnership with the UNHCR, solar-powered boreholes have been drilled in returnee communities such as Tatyough in Makurdi Local Government Area, where food and non-food items were also distributed to assist families in rebuilding their lives.

“Likewise, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), we have initiated housing and water projects at Naka Dam, including the construction of a water treatment plant aimed at addressing the persistent challenge of water scarcity in Naka IDP camp and surrounding host communities,” he said.

Mr Iorpuu listed items to be distributed to include 2,300 25kg bags of rice, 600 bags of beans, 150 gallons of red oil, 140 cartons of seasoning, and 160 gallons of groundnut oil, among others.

(NAN)