Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Agatu Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue, on Friday, took to the streets to protest their continued stay in IDP camps.

The IDPs, who blocked the Iweto Bridge and obstructed the free flow of traffic, said that they were starving inside the camp.

They said they were anxious to return to their ancestral homes and prepare their lands for farming as the rains were about to set in.

But the chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin Ejeh, told journalists that the government was not opposed to allowing the people to return to their homes, provided their communities were safe.

“We procured drones and cameras, and we will soon deploy them in the area so that we will be getting real-time information about their safety and wellbeing.

“The place appears calm, but we don’t know what is lying in wait.

“We are building security camps in strategic areas before we will allow them to go back.

“The security agencies are working assiduously to ensure that the security camps are ready in the shortest possible time,” he said.

On the issue of starvation among the IDPs, Mr Ejeh said they were receiving food supplies regularly from the state government and other donors.

According to him, the State Emergency Management Agency distributed food items to them within the week.

He said there was a donation of food items to them by the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, a few days ago.

Mr Ejeh commended security agencies for conducting themselves professionally, with no protester hurt as they cleared the road for the free flow of traffic.

The chairman thanked Governor Hyacinth Alia for consistently meeting the needs of the IDPs in terms of food and other supplies.

He lauded the governor for particularly creating the enabling environment for the local government to acquire security gadgets and ensuring the deployment of security personnel to the area. 

(NAN)