The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Benue State Government are planning a new phase of support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), with emphasis on accountability to affected populations, child protection and access to basic services in displacement camps.

UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) Specialist, Dr Hilary Ozoh, disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting with the Benue State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Chief Solomon Iorpev, at the ministry's headquarters in Makurdi.

Ozoh said the new phase of the intervention would last between two and three and a half months, following an earlier phase of work conducted in displacement camps between March and September. He explained that the engagement was intended to enable the UNICEF team to plan the next phase and complete the necessary processes for support to commence.

According to him, UNICEF has been working with the Benue State Government and other stakeholders to improve the welfare of displaced persons, particularly children, through interventions in education, health, water and sanitation, nutrition and child protection. He said the organisation's humanitarian response in the state began around late 2024 and early 2025, following the worsening humanitarian situation.

Ozoh described the Ministry of Information and Orientation as a longstanding partner in UNICEF’s interventions, commending the state team for its work with affected communities. He stated that the Social and Behavioural Change programme also promotes accountability to affected populations by ensuring that displaced persons have opportunities to express their needs and participate in decisions concerning their welfare.

"We have worked for almost two years trying to institutionalize what some people have called accountability to affected people," he said, explaining that the approach was designed to ensure that the needs and concerns of affected persons were considered in decisions about the services provided to them.

He added that UNICEF’s interventions had supported medical outreach, nutrition programmes, child protection and water and sanitation services in displacement camps. Ozoh noted that the organisation relied substantially on voluntary contributions from people across the world to implement its programmes, while acknowledging the contributions of frontline workers and government teams in delivering assistance.

He urged Iorpev to continue providing the UNICEF team in Benue with the necessary encouragement and support to sustain the interventions. Responding, Chief Iorpev commended UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the state in addressing the humanitarian challenges confronting displaced persons.

He said the conditions in displacement camps could be particularly traumatic for children who had been separated from the familiar environments of their homes and communities. The commissioner stressed the importance of providing vulnerable children with appropriate care, guidance, education and orientation to help them cope with their experiences and develop positively despite the circumstances.

He said the state government would continue to support collaborations and interventions aimed at improving conditions in the camps while working towards the eventual return of displaced persons to their ancestral homes. "I can only give you the full assurances of myself and the state government that whatever collaborations you may need, whatever assistance you need, whatever needs to be done to make this work, we are going to provide it," Iorpev assured.

He acknowledged that challenges remained in efforts to return displaced communities to their homes but said the government was pursuing different initiatives to address insecurity and restore normalcy. The commissioner also referred to the North-Central Security Summit, which brought states in the region together to consider solutions to the persistent insecurity forcing people from their communities.

He disclosed that interests surrounding the discovery of solid minerals in parts of Benue and other factors were allegedly contributing to the displacement crisis. He however said the government was determined to work towards the safe return of affected persons.

The meeting was attended by the ministry’s Acting Permanent Secretary, Mrs Ruth Mwuese Ubwa; Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Terdoo Adamu; Director of Planning, Research and Publication, Mrs Nomhwange Mwuese; and Director of Enlightenment and Orientation, Mrs Comfort Ajunwa.

Others present were the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr Jacob A. Asoose, and the Director of Legal Services, Barrister Joseph Ode Ali.

Elizabeth Uta

UNICEF Desk Officer, Ministry of Information