A coalition of professionals, civil society groups, and religious leaders from Benue State has appealed to the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union to grant emergency asylum and protected status to the Internally Displaced Persons in the state.
Citing ongoing ethnic cleansing by gunmen, the coalition announced a global campaign to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis and seek justice for the IDPs in Benue.
The coalition, while addressing a press conference in Makurdi, disclosed that over 6,000 lives had been lost in the last decade, with more than 200 people killed in the first half of 2024 alone.
It cited the recent massacre in Yelwata, Guma LGA, where over 200 villagers were reportedly killed, as the tipping point in a pattern of attacks that have continued without significant government response.
According to the coalition, the Benue situation meets the legal and moral criteria for international protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Kampala Convention.
It described the attacks as “systematic, sustained and strategic,” with the intent not just to displace, but to replace indigenous communities.
Meanwhile, Christian Aid Nigeria, in partnership with the Start Fund Network, has launched a N500 million emergency response project to support IDPs in Benue State.
As part of the financial aid component, each beneficiary household will receive a direct cash transfer of N109,000.
Christian Aid had earlier facilitated the opening of personal bank accounts for all recipients, to ensure transparency and secure disbursement.
