Benue lawmaker Ugbor decries inhumane conditions in IDP camps, urges urgent resettlement and restoration of displaced persons’ dignity.

Member of the House of Representatives for Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State, Hon. Terseer Ugbor, has raised alarm over the worsening conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue and across Nigeria, describing their living situation as “inhumane” and calling for immediate government intervention to restore dignity to millions of displaced citizens.

Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Friday, Ugbor said more than two million people are currently displaced in Benue State alone — the highest in the North Central region — due to years of violent attacks, banditry, and herder invasions.

“It is unbelievable. The hygiene is so bad, you cannot take two or three steps without stepping on faeces. The whole place smells, there’s hunger, no water, no food. People in IDP camps are living like pigs,” he said.

Ugbor, who produced a documentary on the IDP crisis, said the problem had worsened over the past year despite government and donor interventions.

“There are more IDPs in Benue today than there were two to three years ago. We are not resettling them fast enough, and not building resettlement homes fast enough. Many have been abandoned in camps for years,” he lamented.

He warned that children growing up without education or hope in the camps could become a major social threat in the near future.

“These displaced children are growing up without hope, without education. They will become a problem for our communities if nothing is done,” he warned.

The lawmaker attributed the crisis to deliberate attempts to occupy ancestral lands in Benue State, describing it as beyond the traditional farmer-herder conflict.

“This is no longer just farmer-herder conflict; this is banditry and terrorism taking place. The Benue Valley is rich in fertile land and natural resources — that’s why there’s a fight for our land. These are ancestral lands where our dead are buried for hundreds of years. We cannot afford to give up an inch,” Ugbor declared.

He called for low-cost housing, skills training, and sustainable livelihoods to help resettle IDPs and reduce dependency on government handouts.

“Many of them are unskilled farmers who have lost their farms. They can’t work, they can’t provide for themselves, so they depend on handouts. We must provide skills, build schools, and proper estates where they can rebuild their lives,” he said.

Ugbor also disclosed that the humanitarian situation has triggered tensions between local vigilantes and the military, leading to clashes and civilian casualties.

“There was a recent burial in my constituency where the army clashed with vigilantes escorting a funeral procession. The misunderstanding led to protests and more deaths. I’ve moved a motion in the House for the Human Rights Commission to investigate the incident,” he stated.

Calling for calm and better civil-military relations, he said the victims must be compensated and justice ensured.

“We must ensure better communication between the military and the community. The army shouldn’t be going after vigilantes who are trying to protect their people,” Ugbor stressed.

He appealed to the federal and state governments to urgently engage with Benue communities to return displaced persons to their homes and restore peace and dignity.

“Benue people will not accept any occupation of their land. We want peace and a return to dignity for our people. The sight of people living in IDP camps for years is a stain on our nation’s conscience,” he said. (Arise News)