PROTESTING Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State have taken to the streets demanding food and improved living conditions, sparking a wave of concern just 24 hours after the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, presented a ₦1 billion donation to support their welfare.
News Point Nigeria reported that the First Lady had, on Tuesday, handed a symbolic cheque to Governor Hyacinth Alia during her visit to Makurdi, stating that the funds were part of her humanitarian outreach to displaced communities affected by insecurity and conflict.
However, by Wednesday, scores of IDPs mainly women and children blocked the Makurdi-Lafia highway, chanting slogans such as “We are hungry,” “We want to go back home,” and “Our women are losing their babies.”
The protest disrupted vehicular movement for hours as demonstrators demanded immediate relief and clarification on how the promised funds would be used.
One protester, Rebecca Awuse, told journalists that conditions in the camps had become unbearable, accusing authorities of neglect.
“We are hungry. We have no food, no shelter, and no medical care. Our children are crying from hunger,” she said.
“Many pregnant women have lost their pregnancies because of lack of nutrition and zero access to antenatal care. We sleep on bare floors, and there are no drugs or health professionals here.”
In reaction, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), through its Information Officer, Terna Ager, dismissed the protest as “politically motivated,” insisting that government support had not ceased.
“There is no situation at the camps that warrants such a protest,” Ager claimed.
“The government is providing food. Some people at Yelwata camp often migrate to the International Market camp in Makurdi, where more food donations arrive.”
He added that the First Lady’s ₦1 billion donation was not intended for immediate food distribution, but rather for long-term resettlement programmes to return IDPs to their communities or safer, more stable housing.
“The disbursement process takes time,” Ager explained.
“They are protesting because they believe the money should be shared among them. But that’s not the purpose, it’s meant for structured, sustainable resettlement interventions.”
A source familiar with the issues told News Point Nigeria that the protest underscores a growing disconnect between official interventions and the lived realities in many of Nigeria’s IDP camps.
“Though the First Lady’s gesture was lauded during her visit, many displaced families say they have seen little change in their daily lives’, the source aded.
Critics are urging the Benue State Government to provide a detailed breakdown of how the First Lady’s ₦1 billion pledge will be utilised, and to fast-track food and medical aid to camps in distress.
Civil society groups have also called for better communication with displaced populations, to prevent misinformation and unrest.
“You can’t hand over ₦1 billion and expect the people not to have questions,” said one rights activist in Makurdi.
“Whether it’s for food or resettlement, the government must keep the people informed. Transparency builds trust, not denials.”
As of Thursday, calm had been restored to the Makurdi-Lafia road, but tensions remain high in the camps, with many IDPs expressing skepticism over whether the funds will ever translate into tangible benefits.