In a heart-wrenching visit to one of the 17 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Benue State, the 3rd Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association NBA, accompanied by branch chairmen and members, expressed deep concern over the appalling living conditions of thousands of displaced persons in Yelwata camp, located at the International Market in Makurdi.
The camp, which currently houses over 8,000 IDPs mostly women and children was described as a humanitarian crisis zone. The NBA delegation noted the complete absence of basic necessities, including food, clean water, mattresses, and medical supplies. Disturbingly, 59 women have reportedly given birth within the camp under extremely poor conditions, without proper medical care or sanitation, sleeping on the bare floor of the market.
During the visit, NBA 3rd Vice President, Zainab Aminu Garba, who led the delegation, spoke to journalists and recounted chilling stories shared by victims of violence and displacement from Yelwata, Guma, and surrounding communities.
“One woman narrated how she watched her mother and four children butchered and their bodies set ablaze,” Garba reported. “Another young girl lost 16 relatives in one day. Another woman said her husband and all her male children were k!lled in the same brutal fashion. These are not just statistics; these are lives shattered.”
Garba also highlighted the disturbing sight of malnourished children, some unclothed and barely able to walk, crying out for food and attention.
While commending the Benue State Government for their continued efforts, Garba acknowledged the state’s limited capacity to cope with the scale of the crisis. “The state is doing what it can, but the system is overwhelmed. We are calling on the Federal Government to intervene immediately.”
The IDPs, many of whom have spent months in the camp, are pleading to be returned to their homes in Yelwata, Guma, and other affected areas. “We want to go home,” they repeatedly told the NBA delegation.
The NBA vowed to amplify the voices of the displaced and advocate for urgent policy and humanitarian action at the national level.
