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From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The Benue State Government has felicitated thousands of Cameroonian Refugees in the Ikyogen settlement, Kwande Local Government of Benue State.
Speaking at the event, the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, expressed the state government’s willingness to provide more hectares of land for the Cameroonian Refugees who are taking asylum in Kwande Local Government Area to boost their farming activities for the support of livelihood.
Represented by the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) Mr James Iorpuu, assured the humanitarian partners of the friendly host with the host communities and urged the over 12,000 refugees who have been forced to flee from their country homes due to ongoing conflict to keep their faith in God Who has the solution to human sufferings.
He commended the humanitarian partners, UNHCR, Nigerian Red Cross, and Save the Children, among others for their huge support to both refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in Benue state.
Governor Alia donated five Sewing Machines to the Cameroonian Refugees and promised their children equal rights to access qualitative education just like their Benue counterparts.
UNHCR, Head of Field Office Adikpo, Mrs Irene Babu, explained that World Refugees Day is set aside to encourage displaced persons to put behind their predicament and work hard to become useful citizens of their country and Nigeria.
Mrs Babu advised them to improve their harmonious relationship with the host communities and thank the Benue State Government through SEMA for providing land for their settlement and farming as well as ensuring that refugees are protected like Nigerian citizens.
Zaki Liev ll, Tyoor Abraham Kavga, enjoined the refugees not to consider themselves slaves but feel special in Benue, urging the host community to live in peace with them until normalcy returns to their country.
Some of the Refugees who spoke, including Peace Amenger and Zephaniah Ekal, all appreciated the State Government and all the humanitarian partners for making life more meaningful for them.
The Theme for this year’s World Refugees Day is “Hope away from Home.”
