From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The European Union (EU) and its partners have visited Makurdi, the Benue State capital, to sympathise and support victims of the attack on Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, who led the partners to the state, said they were in the state to meet with men and women who were displaced from Yelwata and other communities who suffered the attack on Friday, June 13, 2025.
“We felt that it was necessary to come and meet them and express our support, sympathy, and solidarity and listen to their testimonies,” he said.
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Mignot said, “We will have meetings with the state authorities to see how we can contribute to peacebuilding in Benue State and give development support to the state policies.”
According to him, “The EU will launch a programme on social protection in Benue State. 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,” he added.
Speaking, UNICEF Country Director, Cristian Munduate, expressed sincere condolences to Benue State and all the people who were affected by the attack.
“For us, it’s all the lives that were lost, mainly the children, who we lost. There are many children, as well, who are still in different facilities recovering from this attack.
“UNICEF team has been assessing along with UNHCR, IOM, and other UN agencies who are here, to give support.
“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 to all stay in a camp and here, maybe, our life will be solved.
“And now, they want to go back. They want to continue working; this is 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 the primary health facility there. We will need to see the condition of the school; we need to check the water sources to see how they are functioning. We will support their return to their community.”
Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, appreciated the support received from the European Union, explaining that “we have been on the ground since the citizens were evacuated for some succour here.”
The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Deborah Aber, acknowledged that the IDPs are agitated to go back to their communities.
“It shows their bravery that they are not giving up their ancestral lands. What the government will do, in all its power, is to ensure that they can go back to their communities.
“During the chat with them, they say they would rather be taught to fish so that they can fish by themselves. They don’t want hand-me-downs that are being given them in the camp. So, the government will do all it takes to ensure that they can return safely to their ancestralhomes to continue with their farms.”
He said it was painful that they were displaced at the peak of a farming season when they have crops in their farms.
Alia also thanked all the partners for the psychosocial support the victims are receiving at the camp, saying, “You can imagine a woman losing all family members. I appreciate the psychosocial support they are getting here, and to an extent, it is good for them.”
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