Benue killings: EU, UNICEF to support Yelwata IDPs’ return home

The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have pledged their commitment to ensuring the safe return of displaced persons from Yelwata and other communities affected by violence in Benue State back to their ancestral homes.

Representatives of the two humanitarian organisations in Nigeria made this known while speaking to newsmen at the emergency camp for Yelwata displaced persons at the International Market, Makurdi, on Tuesday evening.

According to the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, the organisation had planned to hold meetings with state authorities to explore how it could contribute to peacebuilding in Benue State and support development policies in the state.

The EU Ambassador said that the EU had already scheduled the launch of a programme on social protection in Benue State today (Wednesday) to express its support to the state and the affected communities.

Mignot said, “This is something that was already planned for some time, but it came I think at the right moment to express our support to state authorities, and the population of all communities that have been victims of attack and of violence.

“As the European Union, we know that peace is only lasting when it is built on dialogue and mutual understanding between communities.

“Our Union was based on the ashes of two cruel world wars between our member states. And when we came together, united that’s where we could thrive and prosper, and believe in peace. So this is the future that we hope also for the population in Benue State, if we can bring our modest contribution, we will do this.”

Also speaking, the Country Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said that the meeting held with leaders of Yelwata and other communities at the camp indicated that the displaced persons were yearning to return to their ancestral homes.

Munduate also promised that UNICEF would need to assess the condition of schools and other public institutions, particularly in Yelwata, before the people could return home.

“What we heard today from the meeting we just had, is that, the people want to return to their communities.

“They want to move ahead, they want to still work on their farms, their land. They want their children to be at school and this is very commendable because the easy way would be all that to stay in a camp and here, maybe our life will be solved.

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“And now, they want to go back. They want to continue working, this big highly about them. So, we will come, with a joint response from the UN and, hopefully with the partnership of the European Union.

“As for UNICEF, because of all the destruction in the community, we will see how we can support on the primary health facility there. We will need to see what is the condition of the school and we will need to check the water sources to see how they are functioning.

“We will support for their return to their community,” Munduate said.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Deborah Aber, who represented the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, appreciated the support received from the donor partners and expressed the commitment of the state government to ensuring the safe return of displaced persons back to their ancestral homes.

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