80 percent of Benue children out-of-school over herdsmen attacks

By Titus Atondu, Makurdi

80 percent of Benue State children who were in school before Fulani herdsmen attacks on communities four years ago but now displaced due to the attacks have been thrown out of school.

The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Emmanuel Shior, made this known  yesterday during the distribution of relief materials to over 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) scattered in camps across the State.

Dr. Shior expressed worry over the worsening humanitarian challenge the attack has caused the state especially how to cater for the IDPs.

He expressed concern over the lukewarm attitude of the federal government to come to the aid of the state government to improve food supply to help alleviate the sufferings of the displaced victims.

“If you look at our data, children are not included exception of communities that are located within Makurdi and its environs. Like at Abagena IDP camp, we have an emergency school there. In Daudu camp 1 and 2 and at Ukpiam camp, we have a small number of children, but locations like Umenger and Torkula in Mbadwem council ward, the number of children is small.

“The same thing in Logo, Agatu, Okpokwu and Kwande local government areas respectively among others. So for the communities that are affected by the crisis, the number of children in school is about 20 percent,” he stressed.

Dr. Shior further disclosed that the Fulani militants have destroyed roads and bridges in some parts of the state to frustrate the efforts of security agencies at accessing remote areas to contain attacks.

He commended humanitarian agencies and spirited individuals for their support to the state government, stressing that the burden the state has carried in caring for the victims was enormous and requires the active backing of the federal government.