The Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO) in Plateau State has decried the deplorable condition of over 38,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at various IDPs camps spread across five Local Government Areas of the state, in the wake of the recent attacks by suspected herdsmen that claimed over 200 lives in the State.
BECO, which is the umbrella body of the Berom ethnic nationality, spoke in Jos through its Vice President, Da Iliya Choji Kim, who described the condition of IDPs in the camps as “pitiable and dehumanizing”.
Kim said, “We observe with dismay that facilities at the makeshift camps were grossly inadequate to provide minimum comfort for the internally displaced persons who are made up of traumatized and agonized women, children and the aged.
“The Camps lack basic facilities and services such as toilets, water, beds, medical care, food, sanitation and are poorly managed and insecure currently.
“Most of the camps are overcrowded thereby making victims of gruesome attacks vulnerable to the outbreak of diseases,” he lamented.
The Berom nation expressed worry that most children at the camps have missed their examination and do not know when to return to school.
“The children are seen roaming about without any form of teaching or learning activities”.
It noted that although the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had provided some relief materials to the camps, but said they are grossly inadequate.
The body appealed to NEMA and SEMA to urgently provide more facilities and increase supplies to the camps.
It further called on faith-based organisations, International non-governmental organisations and the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) to come to the rescue of the displaced persons.
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