The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said more than 30 births were recorded in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State in eight months.
SEMA said that the NEPA Quarters IDP camp, located in the North Bank vicinity of Makurdi, recorded the births between February and October 2024.
Emmanuella Chagu, the Benue-SEMA Manager of the NEPA Quarters IDP camp, revealed this on Thursday during the relocation of IDPs to a new shelter in the Mbayiongo community in Makurdi.
“Over 30 births have been recorded between February this year to date (October 31). Fortunately, no death has been recorded here in this camp within this period since I was posted to NEPA quarters IDPs camp,” Chagu stated.
According to Chagu, the relocation is line with the Benue State Government’s ongoing plan to resettle displaced people across the state.
The camp manager noted that the movement from the NEPA Quarters camp, involved 835 individuals from 171 households who had spent years at the camp are being transferred to the new site.
She revealed that the camp’s initial population had once reached up to 7,000, which consist of 4,000 households, before they reduced to the current, number although many had migrated to other states in search of opportunities.
Terna Ager, Benue SEMA’s Information Officer, assured that necessary provisions have been made for the security and well-being of residents relocated to the temporary shelter.