From Scholastica Hir Makurdi
Benue State Government said it has taken delivery of six new babies at the Internally Displaced Persons IDPs camp housing survivors of the massacre in Yelwata.
Recall that Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state was attacked by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia on Saturday June 1, 2025, killing over, 200 people.
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In the evening of same day, the State government mobilize logistics and moved the displaced persona, including women some of who were heavily pregnant, and children, to a new camp in Makurdi.
One week later the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Yanmar Ortese, while speaking to newsmen at the new camp in Makurdi on Friday, said six have put to bed successfully.
Ortese who stated that the babies are healthy with their mothers noted that one of the babies was born preterm on Thursday, June 19 2025 and was refered to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi for better care.
According to him, “We have taken delivery of six babies and we had a pre term baby yesterday Thursday June 19 2025 and we refered them to the Teaching Hospital to be incubated.”
The Commissioner disclosed that the state government is making plans to return the displaced people back to their communities saying that would help the people fare better and also enable the government take better care of them.
Ortese said “Yes if you ask majority of them, they will tell you they prefer to go back home. I happen to be part of this community. I’m internally displaced even though I’m a commissioner. My village is 8 kms North of Yelwata and many people came from the neighbouring villages to take shelter there.
“So those people affected who were sleeping in shops were people from other places who have no shelter in Yelwata village. So when you listen to them their general view is to go back home.
“There are a mixed number of people here, people that were in the mega IDP camp came in here, people that are not even displaced are also here but if they are taken back to their home in Yelwata, it will be difficult for people to move from here in town or other places to go to Yelwata to look for food.
“The Governor has directed and we have done clearance and the areas are fumigated. The primary school can be used in that order. Other people have also donated their houses to camp the security agencies.
“So to me and being affected and being part of the committee I prefer they move back to Yelwata. That way, they would do better, we have less number of people to cater for and less problems.,” he explained.
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