The Benue State Government has issued an urgent appeal to civil society organizations and international donors for humanitarian assistance, citing the dire conditions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in communities ravaged by incessant armed conflicts.

Aondowase Kunde, the Benue State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, made the passionate plea on Thursday during a Policy Document Validation meeting held at Benue Hotels Resorts in Makurdi. The meeting aimed at addressing the escalating humanitarian crisis primarily driven by persistent attacks from armed groups, particularly in the state’s central and northern regions.

Commissioner Kunde highlighted the plight of IDPs camped at NKST, Naka, in Gwer West Local Government Area, noting that their population has drastically “tripled” the number of those displaced from areas like Yelewata. “I invite everyone to come to the aid of these displaced communities in Gwer West LGA; we must ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind,” Kunde stated, adding that the IDPs in Naka “do not have access to basic resources like portable water and food.”

Benue State continues to grapple with a massive displacement crisis, with official figures indicating at least 510,182 IDPs across the state as of early 2025. More than 10,000 additional individuals have been displaced since the beginning of the year alone, following renewed attacks in communities across Gwer West, Agatu, Apa, Ukum, Kwande, Logo, and Guma local government areas. A deadly assault on Yelwata community in Guma LGA on June 8, 2025, alone claimed over 200 lives and displaced more than 3,000 residents.

Conditions in the IDP camps are increasingly grim. Recent assessments by organizations like Amnesty International and UNICEF have revealed wholly inadequate shelter, severe overcrowding, and a critical lack of essential services. IDPs face acute shortages of clean water, with over half relying on unsafe sources, and widespread food insecurity, forcing many to resort to arduous menial labour for meager sustenance. Health facilities are overwhelmed, lacking basic drugs, leading to high incidences of malaria, diarrhea, and infections, particularly among pregnant women and new mothers.

Furthermore, the displaced populations are vulnerable to gender-based violence, experience significant psychosocial distress due to trauma, and hundreds of children live without parental care, separated from their families during attacks. An alarming 83% of school-aged children are out of school, with learning materials lost or destroyed and school buildings repurposed as shelters.

The Benue State Government, under Governor Hyacinth Alia, has initiated an IDP Policy aimed at domesticating national frameworks and finding durable solutions, including plans for resettlement and agricultural support. However, the scale of the crisis necessitates significant external support.

Speaking at the validation meeting, representatives from partners like Save The Children International, through its Advocacy Campaign, Policy Manager, Murjanatu Kabir, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting displaced children and supporting the state’s comprehensive IDP policy. Lawmakers like Peter Uchi (Guma constituency) and James Umoru (Apa constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Humanitarian Affairs) also spoke, highlighting the devastating impact on their constituents and the legislative readiness to expedite hearings on IDP issues.

As the state moves towards finalizing its IDP Policy, the plea for aid underscores the urgent need for robust humanitarian intervention to avert a full-blown catastrophe for hundreds of thousands of displaced persons in Benue State.