Benue Spends ₦160 Million Treating Snakebites Among Displaced Persons
The Benue State Government has spent more than ₦160 million treating snakebite victims among internally displaced persons (IDPs) between March and September 2026, as displaced families continue to face challenges accessing food, healthcare and other basic necessities.
James Iorpuu, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), disclosed the expenditure while responding to concerns raised by leaders of IDP camps over welfare conditions across the state.
He said the agency had arranged for displaced persons requiring medical attention to receive treatment at Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, with medical personnel coordinating assessments, stabilisation and referrals.
Iorpuu identified inadequate funding, shortages of medical personnel and limited transportation as major obstacles to delivering timely healthcare to displaced communities.
Beyond healthcare, the agency provides food and non-food relief, education, protection services and resettlement support. Iorpuu said 248 community reporters had been trained to monitor incidents in camps and host communities, while 163 displaced children had enrolled in an education exchange programme.
However, leaders of some camps have complained of irregular food distribution, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation and limited livelihood opportunities. They also said insecurity in their ancestral communities continued to prevent many families from returning home safely.
Iorpuu acknowledged a reduction in available food supplies but maintained that the agency was continuing its interventions despite resource constraints. He also said SEMA was working with humanitarian partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on resettlement initiatives.
The disclosure highlights the healthcare needs of displaced populations in Benue, where persistent insecurity has forced families from their homes and increased pressure on state emergency services.
