FIC Report (Benue State) – The Benue State Government, through the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (Benue SEMA), has commenced the routine distribution of relief food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Cameroonian refugees, vulnerable households, and host communities across 15 camps in the state.
The exercise, flagged off on Wednesday 8 July 2026 at the Mega IDP Camp in Makurdi, also featured the distribution of emergency food baskets donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of Benue SEMA, Sir James Iorpuu, PhD, said the exercise comprised two major humanitarian interventions. The first involved the distribution of food commodities donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through NEMA to 6,403 households in six IDP camps—Mega Camp, Abagena, Daudu II, Ortese, Ichwa, and International Market Camp.
He explained that the second intervention entailed the distribution of over 3,000 household relief items jointly provided by the Benue State Government and NEMA to support vulnerable displaced families.
Sir James reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia’s administration to provide timely humanitarian assistance, promoting early recovery, and implementing durable solutions for internally displaced persons.
He commended NEMA, particularly its North Central Zonal Office in Jos, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, humanitarian and development partners, donor agencies, security agencies, traditional rulers, host communities, and other stakeholders for their sustained support.
The Benue SEMA boss also charged officials and partners involved in the distribution to uphold transparency, accountability, fairness, and integrity to ensure that the relief materials reach the intended beneficiaries without diversion or discrimination.
In her remarks, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, represented by the Director of Special Duties, Fatima Suleiman Kacim, described the intervention as a reflection of the enduring humanitarian partnership between NEMA and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief).
She disclosed that the Benue intervention is part of a nationwide humanitarian programme covering Benue, Yobe, Anambra, Kebbi, and Taraba States, with a total of 24,302 emergency food baskets, each weighing about 60 kilograms, being distributed to households affected by insecurity and disasters.
Mrs. Umar reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to ensuring transparent and accountable distribution of the relief materials, adding that the Agency would continue collaborating with the Benue State Government to provide life-saving support to displaced persons and vulnerable host communities.
Each emergency food basket contains a 25kg bag of rice, a 25kg bag of white beans, 4kg of Masa Vita flour, 2–4 litres of vegetable oil, 1kg of salt, 2kg of tomato paste, and assorted seasoning cubes and condiments.
The NEMA Director-General also urged residents of flood-prone communities, community leaders, and local authorities to heed the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook by taking proactive measures to reduce flood risks, protect lives, and safeguard property as the rainy season intensifies.
VERONICA AZEMBA
For Head of Center FIC Makurdi
