The assertions of Governor Hyacinth Alia that his government did not inherit any statistics on the state’s internally displaced people (IDPs) have drawn criticism from Emmanuel Shior, the immediate previous executive secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Concerned by the governor’s claim, Dr. Shior asked whether the government also lacked information on the Cameroonian refugees the state is now housing in a statement provided to reporters in Makurdi.
In order to solve the humanitarian situation brought on by the state’s increasing instability, which has led to an increase in the number of internally displaced people, he underlined the significance of precise statistics.
“Governor Alia’s claim is a misrepresentation of the facts. In my handover notes, I documented data indicating approximately two million IDPs and around ten thousand Cameroonian refugees in Benue State,” Dr. Shior stated.
The former Benue SEMA Executive Secretary, who teaches at the Federal University of Lafia, stressed that the previous government held symposiums and formed strategic alliances to provide trustworthy data for efficient IDP management.
He said that the Benue State Humanitarian Response Plan was the result of this cooperative effort, which involved collaborations with several domestic and foreign organisations, including NEMA, UNHCR, and UNICEF.
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Shior questioned why the governor had abruptly changed course and started speaking in a contradictory manner, pointing out that Governor Alia had previously accepted the same statistics in media presentations and conversations with humanitarian partners.
“What is particularly ironic is that while the governor claims to have improved conditions for IDPs, new camps are being established without adequate provisions for their welfare,” he said.
