By Amos Aar
THE EXECUTIVE Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), James Iorpuu, has requested journalists to create awareness and sensitise the public on the need for the biometric data of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State to be captured to enable the state government to return them to their ancestral homes with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Iorpuu sought for the collaboration on Thursday night during a get-together he organised for select journalists who cover activities of the agency.
He disclosed that upon assumption of office, Governor Hyacinth Alia swung into action to return and rehabilitate the IDPs in their ancestral homes within one hundred days after his inauguration as he promised during his electioneering campaigns. He said the governor was preoccupied with the challenge of trying to know the exact number of the IDPs hence his initiative to seek IOM’s partnership.
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The BSEMA boss said he personally wrote to the IOM and the United Nations (UN) on behalf of the state government and they accepted to train the agency’s staff on issues of IDPs. According to him, Borno State under Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has successfully returned IDPs in the state to their homes through the bio-data capturing by the IOM.
“As soon as I assumed office, I wrote to IOM and the UN Country Representative accepted to train our staff on issues of IDPs.
“In Borno State, Zulum has successfully returned the IDPs to their homes with the help of IOM. Biometric data of IDPs is ongoing. There is a process of returning them to their homes.
“19 out of 23 local government areas have been earmarked for the exercise including Moor in Kwande council area which has been deserted for over 10 years”, Iorpuu said.
He cautioned youths against attacks on IOM staff who are in the field in Benue State for biometric capturing of IDPs, saying “if IOM withdraw their services, it’s going to be a serious setback to Benue State”.
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Responding separately, the News Editor of Radio Benue, Makurdi, Mr David Vihi, who spoke on behalf of the Director General of the corporation, Dr Charles Iornumbe, Editor of the Voice News Paper, Solomon Ayado, the Chairman of Correspondent Chapel, Antswen Emmanuel, the Director General (DG) of Brothers FM, Makurdi, Elaigwu Abutu,and the General Manager (GM) Harvest FM, Makurdi, Christiana Ameh, all appreciated the BSEMA Executive Secretary for being media friendly by picking journalists’ calls and replying their messages whenever they seek clarification on issues.
While they assured Iorpuu of truthful and objective reportage, the journalists informed him that as watchdogs of the society, they would not hesitate to correct him in line with journalism ethics when he goes astray.
