Hungry and Frustrated: Agatu IDPs Block Road, Demand Return to Ancestral Homes
By Matthew Eloyi
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State on Friday staged a protest over their prolonged stay in displacement camps, blocking the Oweto Bridge and disrupting traffic as they demanded to return to their communities.
The protesters said living conditions in the camp had become unbearable, claiming that many residents were struggling with hunger.
They also expressed concern about the approaching farming season, saying they were eager to return to their ancestral homes to begin preparing their lands before the rains set in.
However, the Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Mr Melvin Ejeh, said the government was not opposed to the return of the displaced persons but insisted that their communities must first be certified 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.
Ejeh dismissed claims that the displaced persons were starving, stating that food supplies were being delivered regularly through government and donor interventions.
According to him, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency distributed food items to the IDPs earlier in the week.
He added that the group also recently received food donations from the son of the President, Mr Sheyi Tinubu.
The council chairman commended security agencies for their professionalism during the protest, noting that no protester was injured while officers worked to clear the road and restore the free flow of traffic.
Ejeh also thanked Gov. Hyacinth Alia for consistently providing support for the displaced persons, particularly in the area of food supplies and other relief materials.
He further praised the governor for creating the enabling environment that allowed the local government to acquire security gadgets and facilitate the deployment of security personnel to the area.
