A coalition of civil society groups, professionals, and religious leaders in Benue State has issued a desperate appeal to the international community over the rising tide of violence and displacement in the state.
Speaking in Makurdi, spokesperson Gideon Inyom said over 6,000 lives have been lost and more than two million displaced in the past 12 years, citing data from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency. He described recent killings in areas such as Guma, Logo, Kwande, and Agatu as part of a disturbing pattern.
Inyom painted a grim picture of life in IDP camps: overcrowding, food shortages, lack of healthcare, and children growing up without access to education.
The coalition urged the U.S., U.K., and EU to offer emergency asylum to Benue’s most vulnerable and called for full international humanitarian intervention.
Referencing treaties like the Kampala Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the group vowed to pursue global legal redress and diplomatic advocacy until the violence stops. “This is a fight to preserve human dignity,” Inyom declared.
