The Benue State government has said that about 13,000 Cameroonian refugees are currently residing in the state.

The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr James Iorpuu, disclosed this to newsmen during the distribution of food and non-food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the agency’s headquarters in Makurdi.

Dr Iorpuu disclosed that the presence of the refugees has adversely affected the economic activities of host communities and called for the intervention of the Federal Government.

He announced that the state is currently housing over 15 IDP camps, a development he said has put the humanitarian situation in the state on a disturbing track.

‎Items distributed during the exercise included 2,695 bags of rice, 685 bags of beans, 466 bags of garri and 762 cartons of Indomie noodles.

‎Others were 40 gallons of 25-litre groundnut oil, 125 gallons of palm oil, 32 cartons of seasoning cubes, 450 mats, 19 bags of salt and 115 bags of sugar.

‎Dr Iorpuu appreciated Governor Hyacinth Alia’s commitment to the plight of the displaced victims which he noted, has continued to strengthen emergency response mechanisms in the state and enabled prompt interventions aimed at addressing the needs of displaced and vulnerable populations.

‎Dr Iorpuu who is also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, appreciated humanitarian and development partners, both local and international, for their sustained collaboration and commitment toward supporting communities in need of humanitarian assistance.