The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Eradication, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has commissioned food items for malnourished children residing in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Benue State.

Speaking during the ceremony in Makurdi, the state capital, the Minister decried the scale of the humanitarian crisis caused by incessant attacks on communities in the state, describing it as having both “developmental and humanitarian components.”

He explained, “The developmental component means that education is affected, and the health of the children is also impacted. These attacks have set communities back and increased vulnerability.”

Prof. Nentawe reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to ensuring no one is left behind in the distribution of relief materials, especially to improve the well-being of children and vulnerable populations.

He also highlighted the partnership between the federal government and ECOWAS for the distribution of food in malnourished communities across the country, assuring that Benue State is fully included in the intervention.

“We will continue to partner with the Benue State Government and other development stakeholders to ensure maximum support is given to address these challenges,” he added.

In his remarks, the Benue State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr. Aondowase Kunde, disclosed that the state has recorded 33 cases of malnutrition among children in the Yelwata IDP camp alone.

Kunde thanked the Minister for consistently identifying with the state in its moments of difficulty, adding that the food items would go a long way in addressing the nutritional needs of affected children.

He noted that the state is currently grappling with a large number of IDP camps housing thousands of displaced persons, and expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the continued support in tackling the worsening humanitarian situation.