security
Benue Spends Over N1.2bn on Resettlement of Yelewata IDPs, Others
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Benue State Government on Monday said it has judiciously spent not more than N1.275 billion donated to the state on resettlement of victims of herdsmen attacks in Yelewata, Guma local government area and other Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) at different local government areas of the State.
Chairman of the Technical Committee on the Implementation of Donations to Displaced Communities in Benue State, Deborah Aber, revealed this at a press conference in Makurdi.
Aber, who is also the Secretary to State Government(SSG), explained that in June, 2025, there was an attack at Yelewata community in Guma LGA that drew the attention of the Federal Government to the State, where President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his wife with other governors visited the state to see the damage done.
“The first lady made a huge donation in the sum of 1 billion naira to ease the IDPs crisis in the State.
“Following her visit, we had other donations from Nasarawa state government the sum of 150 million naira, the United bank for Africa, UBA donated 100 million naira and thr Director General, DSS sent in a donation of 25 million naira and that totalled 1,275,000,000 received into the State.
“After that the Governor set up a committee to look into the judicial implementation of these donations that the state had received and he saddled me with the responsibility to chair the committee.
“We began sitting on the 19th August, 2025. Our mandate was clear to identify the needs of the displaced persons and the communities that host them. We started by engaging all representatives of the IDPs, brought them to the State capital, Makurdi and asked them to give us their own priority needs that they had.
“This was done so that it does not seem that the state was going in to solve a perceived problem but to specifically meet the need the people had. That was done and they came back a second time and we went to work aggregating all of the needs and they were spread across food, health, shelter, education for their children, livelihood, water.
“We took a stand to say that these donations came as a result of the incident in Yelwata but it will spread to other IDPs, though we prioritised Yelwata. This committee has painstakingly gone through the whole steps in the things that it has set out to achieve. We did a mapping of beneficiaries, gathered data to meet the specific people this fund was meant for”, she stated.
According to her, the sum of N56,325,000.00 million was allocated for Cash transfer where no fewer than 1000 IDPs have benefited; the sum of N224,500,000.00, for Food and Nutrition; N28,900,000.00, for Shelter, while WASH got N125,325,000.00.
“Others are Security N56,125,000.00; Agriculture, N56,125,000.00. Resettlement has a large chunk of N277,350.000.00; Health N112,250,000.00, and Peace and Reconciliation N16 million.
“The Sustainability Fund, received N24,800,000.00; Livelihood, N21,625,000.00; host communities N127,500,000.00; Education N148,175,000.00; making it a total of N1,275,000,000.00 (N1.275 billion)”, Aber stated”,’ Aber stated.
She added that about 38 of the displaced persons” homes that are under construction have reached the roofing stage, while another 5 of the homes were at various stages of completion, while 5,893 of displaced persons in the state have been placed on the State’s Health Insurance scheme.
The SSG disclosed that the committee also reticulated water and provided boreholes to some IDP host communities in the state.
“Water has been reticulated to about 2km to where resettlement homes are being built. The state in conjunction with the European Union Fund through ECO implemented by International Organization for Migration, IOM built a water treatment plant at Naka, Gwer West local government area which was commissioned 2 weeks ago ending a 40 year clean water drought in the town.
“We also had the security component. We had engagement with International partners, CSOs who were part of the technical team that was working on all of these. We are IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF, DSS, Police and all the MDAs.
“Funds earmarked for Education have been able to build 4 classrooms in Yelwata, textbooks, school bags have been procured. We are building makeshift shops at the International Market for the children to study”, she maintained.
Meanwhile, no fewer than two internally displaced pregnant women have died in the past five days at Agagbe camp in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
The deceased victims died as a result of non-availability of adequate health care delivery.
Sources told our correspondent on Monday that the deceased pregnant women were identified as Aondona Dooshima, 30 years old and Sumali Blessing, 28yrs old.
An inmate who simply identified himself as Terna told our correspondent that the pregnant women died last Thursday, February 26 and Sunday, March 1, 2026.
The inmate attributed the death of the two pregnant women to poverty and inadequate health care at the camp.
According to him, “On the 26/2/2026 at about 9 am o’clock in the morning a displaced woman at IDP Camp Agagbe named Aondona Dooshima 30 years old of Tse Nongu Tswarev in Gaambe Ushin council Ward of Gwer West LGA died with a pregnancy .
“Her husband, Aondona shienge 35yrs, who narrated how his pregnant wife died said she started complaining of pain in her abdominal region and had no money to take care of her.
“But when the pain persistent, he moved her to a clinic Agagbe where she died.
He added, “While we were still mourning the demise of Dooshima, another pregnant woman, Sumali Blessing, 28yrs old internally displaced person Agagbe camp with registration number 85X01475 of Tse Ameen In Mbapa council Ward also died with pregnancy yesterday (Monday).
“The husband to the deceased Sumali Aondowase 37yrs explained that the incident occurred as a result of his inability to take good care of his wife by not giving her food and taking her to the hospital as it is expected because of his predicament.
“But when he later moved his wife to the primary health care at Abani on Sunday, it was too late, she died the following day and her body deposited at Agagbe morgue.
Terna, who said that the deceased and their families had been taking refuge in idp camp Agagbe since 2022 called on the state government, spirited individuals and non-governmental organizations to help the displaced persons at Agagbe camp.
When contacted, the Information Officer for the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Tema Ager said that the late victims were living in the host community.
“The two women are not staying in Camp but are living in the host community,”at Ager said.
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Tuesday met with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) over the spate of insecurity in the state.
Other Fulani elders from the three senatorial districts also attended the meeting.
Aiyedatiwa, during the meeting in his office, said the state government would not rest to ensure that the state was rid of criminal elements.
“According to some intelligence reports, the recent operations in Kogi and Kwara States to dislodge some criminal elements has made them think the state would be a safe haven, but they are wrong.
“This meeting is not being held for the first time.
You need to rid yourselves of bad eggs and also report any criminal elements you notice.“Anyone found sponsoring criminal activities, including kidnapping, in Ondo State will face the full weight of the law,” he said.
The governor, who expressed concern over the recent spate of kidnapping, killings and road blockades in some parts of the state, particularly Ilu-Abo and Uso communities, stressed that “security agencies were on top of the situation”.
He said security agencies had, so far, arrested 99 suspects who were currently making statements regarding various degrees of involvement in the crises across the state.
According to him, those genuinely doing the business of cattle rearing can’t be deprived because there are criminals that normally hide within the cows, we should now stop them from doing their business.
“You will be able to know if they are genuine or have rushed to some cattle breeders, using them as shields to gain entrance to another territory, because you are in that profession.
“You know yourselves and your people. Some of your people are also being attacked to take their cattle, that is why we have to work together. It is very, very important because it is the only way.
“As long as I’m in this seat, myself and other members of the government have resolved that anybody can live freely in any part of the country, including Ondo State.
“But the caveat is, when you are here, obey the law of the land. Do your business, go about your enterprise, your legitimate enterprise, without fear.
“That is what we have to provide for everyone, an enabling environment for everyone to live well, to be protected and to do their businesses. Let’s coexist.
“Now, we have been noticing kidnapping for ransom, which used to be very rampant. It was reduced before but recently, it’s coming up again.
“I begin to wonder, where is this coming from again? That is why we must not rest on our oars. We have to wake up and tackle it together, “he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of MACBAN in Ondo State, Alhaji Abubakar Mande, said the association would continue to cooperate with the government to expose criminals within their ranks in order to ensure a peaceful society.
Mande added that the association remained committed to providing intelligence and all necessary support to promote a safer and crime-free Ondo State.
“Not all Fulani living in the state are criminals. The peace of the state is our own peace too,” he said.
From Ifeanyichukwu Nwannah, Gusau
The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested two people suspected to be armed robbers and recovered stolen vehicle and other items following an attack on a resident in Gusau in the early hours of Monday.
The State Police Command confirmed that the incident occurred at about 1:30 a.
m. on Monday, when the suspects allegedly conspired and attacked one Bilyaminu Isa Sani at his residence in Unguwar Gwaza area of Gusau, the State capital.The suspects, identified as Mustapha Abubakar of Mareri area and Ahmed Ibrahim of Unguwar Gwaza, reportedly stabbed the victim with a knife during the attack, noting that the victim sustained injuries on his neck and left arm while attempting to resist the attack.
The assailants subsequently robbed him of a Toyota Corolla vehicle, two iPhone 7 mobile phones, three ATM cards and phone chargers before fleeing the scene.
The Police Command said that Police operatives later intercepted the suspects while attempting to escape the State, saying that they were apprehended at the Yankara boundary between Zamfara and Katsina States by a stop-and-search team led by ASP Goma Ibrahim attached to the 42 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Gusau.
The Command noted that all the stolen items, including the vehicle and phones, were recovered from the suspects.
The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, said the command remains committed to flushing out all criminal elements from the State.
He urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and useful information that could help in tackling crime.
“The command is fully committed to ensuring that all criminal elements are flushed out of Zamfara State. We call on residents to always assist security agencies with vital information that will help rid the state of crimes and criminals,” he added.
He said that the case is currently under discrete investigation, after which further legal action will be taken against the suspects.
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
A 30-year-old Point of Sale (POS) operator, Aliyu Musa Vatsa, has been murdered by yet-to-be-identified assailants in Minna, the Niger State capital.
The victim was allegedly attacked by some youths who forced their way into his residence in the T-Mama area of Minna in the early hours of Monday.
According to eyewitness accounts, after gaining entry into the house, the attackers reportedly rejected offers of a large sum of money and pleas made by the deceased, insisting that they were not there for robbery.
“They told him, ‘We are here just to kill you,’” one of the eyewitnesses said.
The attackers were said to have first stabbed him in the stomach before attacking him repeatedly with machetes.
The cries for help from the victim reportedly attracted neighbours, but the attackers had already fled the scene before anyone could apprehend them.
The severely injured victim was initially taken to the Tudun Wada Police Station before he was rushed to the General Hospital, Minna, where he was confirmed dead before receiving medical attention.
The elder brother of the deceased, Malam Ibrahim Kolo, confirmed the incident, stating that the remains of his brother were buried at the Muslim burial ground at about 10 a.m. on Monday.
Kolo described the incident as “very sad and pathetic,” expressing hope that the perpetrators would be arrested and brought to justice.
When contacted, the Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, declined to comment on the incident.
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