The Federal Government has revealed that over 3,000 people have been displaced in Yelwa community, Benue State, following recent deadly attacks.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on Arise News.
“We discovered that 3,160 people were displaced, including about 810 school-age children,” he said.
Yilwatda added that the violence led to the destruction of 48 homes along with several shops and business centres.
He explained that the ministry, alongside state authorities and international partners, carried out a needs assessment in the affected area.
The minister said the government has created a long-term response plan to support displaced families and restore peace in the community.
“Our budget came up to roughly N6.7 billion to respond to the community properly. Out of this, the European Union has committed €1.5 million (about N2.7 billion), while other NGOs, the state government, and the federal government will contribute their share,” he said.
He added that the intervention will focus on emergency relief, rebuilding homes, restoring livelihoods, and helping children return to school.
Yilwatda also noted that similar efforts are ongoing in Benue, Borno, and Niger states, where communities are facing insurgency, flooding, and malnutrition.
“Some of these challenges are due to climate change, natural disasters, and insurgency. We are working with all stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable response,” he said.
