Dr. Emmanuel Shior, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), has strongly refuted Governor Hyacinth Alia’s claims that his administration inherited no data on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
In a statement issued to journalists in Makurdi, Dr. Shior described the governor’s remarks as a “misrepresentation of the facts,” insisting that detailed data on IDPs and Cameroonian refugees were properly documented and handed over at the end of his tenure.
“In my handover notes, I clearly stated that Benue State had approximately two million IDPs and about ten thousand Cameroonian refugees,” Shior said.
The university lecturer and humanitarian expert expressed concern that such critical data—vital to addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by insecurity in the state—was being disregarded by the current administration.
He highlighted efforts made under the previous government to build partnerships and organize symposiums in collaboration with agencies such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and UNICEF. These efforts, he noted, led to the development of the Benue State Humanitarian Response Plan, aimed at ensuring coordinated and data-driven assistance to displaced populations.
Shior also questioned the governor’s consistency, noting that Governor Alia had previously cited the same data in public forums and meetings with humanitarian stakeholders.
“What is particularly ironic is that while the governor claims to have improved IDP welfare, new camps are being created without adequate provisions,” Shior added.
He urged the state government to prioritize factual engagement and continuity in humanitarian planning to avoid jeopardizing the lives and well-being of vulnerable populations.
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