The attack by herdsmen on Tse Ngojov and Tse Valem Yaweh of Mbagum community in Tombo council ward of Logo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State on Wednesday has left another 463 persons displaced.

This is even as the Benue state government has said that Benue was prepared to tackle the perennial flooding in the event that such issues arise during this year’s raining season.

Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Emmanuel Shior disclosed this during the flag off of the monthly distribution of food and non-food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Makurdi on Friday.

He lamented the spate of attacks on Benue communities that has had its toll on state coffers because the federal government has turned a blind eye to the fate and condition of IDPs in the state.

While he assured that Governor Samuel Ortom was committed to amelioration the condition of the displaced persons, he stated that government would not rest on its oars to ensure that they kept the IDPs afloat inspite of dwindling resources.

According to him, it was costing the state government alot to cater for the needs of IDPs in the state, adding that the state would require about N500 million on a monthly basis to cater for the needs of the ever-increasing number of IDPs in the state.

The SEMA boss said, “We need about N500 million to take care of the basic needs of the IDPs on a monthly basis. Food is very very expensive; a truck of 25kg rice which is about 1,200 bags costs about N18 million.

“What we have here is not enough to go round. So in terms of purchasing food items that would be enough, we need approximately N500 million (monthly) to buy enough food items for the IDPs.”

On the issue of flooding, while Shior advised the people of the state to discontinue the dumping of waste in water channels, he also advised them against building on water ways.

He explained that although people were recalcitrant, SEMA would not relent on urging them to desilt their gutters, adding that the Agency has intensified its campaign at sensitizing the populace to that effect.

Shior who noted that SEMA was working in consonance with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and have identified high-risk areas in the state and placed them on red alert, added that Benue had many communities in Benue that fall under this category.

He further explained that with the support of NEMA and other supporting agencies, SEMA would be able to tackle the issue of flooding, in the event it arise.

During this months distribution exercise, the Agency would distribute trucks load of rice, noodles, sorghum, millet and cassava flour.