BENUE: WE HAVE SPENT N160M ON SNAKEBITE TREATMENT FOR IDPs

The Benue State Government has spent over N160 million treating internally displaced persons for snake bites in six months, according to the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, James Iorpuu.

The Benue IDPs snake bites N160m revelation highlights the severe health challenges facing displaced communities in the state and the strain on government resources.

THE DISCLOSURE

Iorpuu disclosed the figure on Friday while reacting to complaints by some IDPs about their welfare.

“Through this arrangement, this agency has spent more than N160m on healthcare interventions between March and September for snake bites alone,” he said.

He said the agency had arranged for IDPs to receive treatment at the Benue University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, in the absence of adequate support from humanitarian partners.

THE IDPs’ COMPLAINTS

Some leaders of IDP camps in the state expressed concern about the welfare of displaced persons across the 14 officially recognised camps.

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The leaders of the Agagbe, Daudu and Mega camps, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the challenges facing residents as severe and multifaceted.

They listed irregular food distribution, lack of livelihoods, unsafe homes, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, gaps in healthcare and limited humanitarian support among their concerns.

One camp leader said food distribution had become irregular despite government promises.

“Since the last distribution about four months ago, we have not heard of anything again,” he said.

THE DESIRE TO RETURN HOME

The camp leaders said their major concern was the opportunity to return safely to their ancestral communities.

“What we are crying for now is how to leave the camp and return to our ancestral homes. Unfortunately, some of those communities are still not safe,” one of them said.

WHY IT MATTERS

The N160 million spent on snake bites is a staggering figure. It is also a symptom of a broader crisis.

Benue State has been ravaged by insecurity for years, with herders and bandits displacing thousands of people from their homes. These displaced persons now live in camps where they face hunger, disease, and the constant threat of snake bites.

The government’s spending on treatment is commendable, but it is a reactive measure. The real solution is to restore security so that people can return home.

For the IDPs, the wait continues. For the government, the challenge is to do more with fewer resources.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the IDPs remain in camps. The government has not announced a timeline for their return.