TheCable

Traditional rulers in Kwande and Logo LGAs of Benue have donated lands for the construction of shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Tersoo Kula, chief press secretary to the governor, said the traditional rulers made the donation when they received members of the Renewed Hope Shelter for the Poor, Refugees and IDPs and officials of the Benue government in their communities.

Kula said the governor had promised during his campaign to return IDPs back to their ancestral homes.

He said the governor had earlier met with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the state of affairs and resettlement plans for IDPs in Benue.

“In Kwande, four council wards are affected while five are affected in Logo LGA. Large expanse of land was donated in Kwande at Waya and Anyiase for the resettlement plan while in Logo, land was allocated at Azera and Anyiin,” he said.

The chief press secretary said all the traditional rulers in both LGAs indicated their support for the IDPs to be resettled.

“Both say they had been looking forward to when their people displaced due to attacks by the armed wing of cattle owners will go home and commended governor Alia for working to actualising his campaign promise,” he said.

He added that James Iorapuu, executive secretary of the state emergency management agency (SEMA), said the organisation has partnered with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to begin biometric verification of IDPs in the state.

Speaking during the visit to Kwande and Logo communities, Aondowase Kunde, commissioner for humanitarian affairs and disaster management, asked the chiefs to cooperate and allocate lands to support the governor’s resettlement plan.

Kunde said, “returning the people home is a process and providing shelter is top”.

Benue is one of the north-central states facing insecurity challenges with many residents particularly, farmers, displaced as a result of the security challenge.