Benue State is the worst affected by the conflict with Fulani militias sweeping the South East of Nigeria. There are currently over a million Internally Displaced People (IDP’s) in Benue State alone. Making this one of the largest displacement crises on the African continent, and a humanitarian catastrophe of incalculable proportions. At the beginning of September, the four Catholic Dioceses in Benue State (Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo and Katsina Ala) published a shocking report on the crisis and the situation of IDP’s. With the kind permission of Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula (the Director of FJDP in Makurdi Diocese and one of the authors of the report) we bring you an abbreviated version of the report.
CATHOLIC DIOCESES OF MAKURDI, GBOKO, OTUKPO AND KATSINA ALA
HARMONISED REPORT ON DISPLACEMENT SITUATION IN BENUE STATE
The problem of insecurity masterminded by the killer Herdsmen attacks on Farming communities in Benue State has left in its wake, the loss of thousands of human lives and the destruction of property worth millions of dollars. What started like small crises between farmers and herders in the 1990s has by now taken a very dangerous turn with untold stories of death, destruction and occupation of farmer communities and their villages by marauding killer herdsmen.
According to a recent study carried out by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), the attacks on farmers by killer herdsmen in Nigeria has been identified as the single most widely spread peace and security threat, affecting almost all the 36 states in Nigeria
The attacks continue to register huge casualties and tension throughout almost all states of the Federation on a recurrent basis.
Mostly reported in the Middle Belt and adjacent states (particularly the states of Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa between herdsmen and local farmers, the attacks over farmland and/or pasture, have increasingly taken religious undertones (Muslims versus Christians).
The problem undermines food security, encourages the proliferation of heavy arms and weapons and also infringes on indigenous rights. Thousands of lives have been lost, property destroyed, and communities left in disarray, with tens of thousands internally displaced all over many parts of Benue state.
From 2016, some estimates indicate that the attacks of Fulani herdsmen on farming communities in the Benue valley have claimed more lives than the Boko Haram insurgency.
Since 2001, Fulani herdsmen (pastoralists) (mainly of the Muslim religion) have drifted from the North of Nigeria displacing crop farmers in the middle belt of the country (who are mainly Christians) from their ancestral homes. Since this time, thousands of lives have been lost, property destroyed, and communities left in disarray, with thousands of internally displaced persons across many parts of the state, middle belt and Nigeria at large. Like already stated elsewhere, the violence undermines food security and infringes on indigenous rights. In most communities, children of school age are displaced from their schools forcing their drop out while the livelihoods of their parents or caregivers is destroyed.
It is noteworthy that access to health care has reduced significantly amidst increasing needs. Maternal and natal services have been halted in over 70% of the affected communities increasing the average distance to nearby health facilities from 4km to 12 Km across the LGAs.
It is widely believed that some of these pastoralists are from the neighbouring countries of Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Chad and Libya. They kill, plunder and occupy territories
Following renewed attacks, the population of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue has bloated to 1,000,007 (Benue SEMA, April 2021).
An estimated 12% of this population is seeking refuge in Official Camps located at Daudu, Uikpam, Gbajimba(all in GumaLGA), Naka (in GwerWest LGA), Anyiinand Ugbah(both in Logo LGA) and Abagena(in Makurdi LGA) with a greater majority of the IDPs living in unofficial camps and host communities in nearby LGAs in the State.
See Image Below: MASS BURIAL OF 72 PERSONS KILLED BY HERDERS AT GENABE VILLAGE, MAKURDI, BENUE STATE
THE RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH
Even though the herdsmen killings of local population has affected all corners of Benue State, the areas that form the boundaries Makurdi diocese is the epicentre of this crises. Current figures put the State’s displaced populations at over a million displaced. While thousands live in camp settlements, many more
have taken shelter in uncompleted housing spaces and other open spaces in the hosting communities. In Makurdi diocese, all the 4 LGAs have been affected(i.e Makurdi,Guma, GwerEast and Gwer West LGAs).
The Bishop of the diocese, the Most Revd. Wilfred C Anagbe Cmf, in addition to constantly donating food and non food items to victims in the diocese has also provided scholarship schemes and health care aid to the victims. The diocesan education and health directorates provide assistance to sustain victims of these attacks. He has tried to initiate livelihood initiatives to help survivors recover some dignity as well. He has persistently advocated with the government on the need to find a lasting solution to the crises.
Equally, the diocesan JDPC body known as the Catholic diocese of Makurdi Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace (FJDP) frequently distributes food and non food items to the IDPs in Makurdi, Guma, Gwer East and Gwer West LGAs. The diocese through FJDP’s Psychosocial staff also offer psychosocial support(providing Psycho-traumatic healing sessions) to the IDPs in the affected areas on a weekly basis especially those living in camps. The diocese has strengthened counter trafficking mechanisms in the state through sustained monitoring, sensitization of populations-at-risk and rescue operations in collaboration with NAPTIP. So far, 8 IDPs who were trafficked have been rescued and reintegrated while perpetrators have been arrested. In recognition of the anti-trafficking efforts made by the diocese, FJDP has been selected to be a member of the State Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons.
In the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, the crisis has engulfed two Local Government Areas,namely; Kwande and Buruku LGAs. Through the Catholic Diocese of Gboko Caritas Foundation for Justice and Peace;
The diocese is always on emergency call for mitigation of conflicts and seeing to the welfare of the displaced persons.
The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo covers 9 Local Government Areas, namely;Otukpo, Apa, Ohimini, Agatu, Okpokwu, Oju, Obi, Ogbadibo and Ado LGAs. Four (Agatu, Apa, Oju and Ohimini are plagued by the herder-farmer crisis.
Agatu is one of the Local government areas in the Diocese plagued by incessant cases of violence between herders and farmers in the various rural communities. The attacks have led to loss of over 3,000 lives, displacing over 5,000 households and the destruction of properties worth billions of Naira. Recently, Odugbeho community in Agatu LGA was attacked on the 6th of June, 2021 resulting in the loss of about 40 lives, with over 300 persons injured and displacing 0ver 411 household.
Immediately after its creation, the diocese of Katsina Ala has witnessed increased attacks by herdsmen in all the local councils that it is comprised of . These attacks have been pervasive and have transverse every district within the diocese.
In a bid to rally support for people affected by the crises, in 2014 through Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace(FJDP), the Diocese made Cash Transfer to thousands of displaced persons following a surge in violent attacks on Tiv communities in the three local government areas of Katsina-Ala, Ukumand Logo which form the hub of the diocese. This effort was supplemented by material gifts of cloths and food items like yams, rice, guinea corn, millet and dry cassava chips.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
The dioceses in Benue state have shown concern towards the plight of the IDPs by working tirelessly in carrying out interventions and programs to alleviating the sufferings of the displaced persons. However, the increasing number of IDPs in the state occasioned by renewed attacks have made us seize the moment to highlight certain challenges. The Catholic church in Benue would like to emphasis the following:
1.Activate global peace diplomacy by mobilizing world powers to raise voices and take decisive actions towards ending all forms of killings, mass atrocities and gross violation of rights of vulnerable populations especially women, girls and boys.
2.Exert influence on the local government to reclaim ungoverned spaces and territories seized by armed herders in Nigeria and most especially in the Benue Valley which is a major theatre of war.
3.Mobilize substantive support for coping and resilience building amongst affected populations especially in the restoration of livelihoods and durable protection solutions.
4.Influence (inter)national media to provide balanced and uncensored content on the true situation of affected populations and communities. This will neutralize distorted and erroneous perspectives that are sometimes injected into the media space to exacerbate tensions or to shield impunity.
5.Reconnect affected populations to social services especially disruptions in worship and belief practices, access to schools and health care centres. This requires reconstruction of structures destroyed during armed attacks as well as support to services that were disrupted therefrom.
6. Influence the Government to fulfil all its international obligations to the ECOWAS, AU and the UN in respect of the protection of lives, rights and dignities of citizens.
See Image Below: PERSONS KILLED BY THE HERDSMEN INVASION ON IDP CAMP AT ABAGENAIN MAKURDI LGA BENUE STATE ON THE 26/4/2021
See Images Below: SHELTER SITUATION ON SOME UNOFFICIAL CAMPS LOCATED AT ICHWA VILLAGE, NORTH BANK MAKURDI, BENUE STATE
See Image Below: INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) LEARNING UNDER TREES AT UKPIAM, GUMA LGA OF BENUE STATE
See Images Below: COORDINATOR FJDP MAKURDI SUPERVISING THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND NON FOOD ITEMS AT DAUDU CAMP 2, GUMA LGA OF BENUE STATE
See Images Below: VISITING ARCHBISHOP OF SAN FRANSICO WITH THE COORDINATOR FJDP AT THE ABAGENA IDP CAMP, MAKURDI BENUE STATE
See Images Below: DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND NON FOOD ITEMS TO VULNERABLE IDPS IN DAUDU CAMP 2, GUMA LGA OF BENUE STATE BY FJDP, MAKURDI
See Images Below: NEWLY ORDAINED CATHOLIC PRIEST OF MAKURDI DIOCESE CELEBRATING MASS WITH IDPS AT DAUDUCAMP 3, GUMA LGA OF BENUE STATE ON 11/8/2021
See Images Below: REV. FR. MICHAEL BULL DISCUSSES WITH CAMP OFFICIALS AT THE IDP CAMP IN ANYIIN, LOGO LGA OF BENUE STATE
See Image Below: PROVISION OF FOOD ITEMS FOR BENEFICIARIES AT ITAKPA/ECHORI COMMUNITIES BY THE BISHOP OF OTUKPO DIOCESE
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