The National Emergency Management(NEMA) has deployed essential relief materials to provide immediate succour to people displaced and affected by the incident.
The move, according to the agency, was the outcome of a rapid needs assessment jointly conducted by officials of NEMA, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Nigerian Red Cross Society and relevant security agencies.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, equally activated the Agency’s North Central Zonal Office, under the leadership of the Zonal Director Mr Aliyu Waziri, to oversee the distribution of the relief items in liaison with Benue state emergency agency.
The DG, in a statement on Tuesday night by the Head of the Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, also directed that a more detailed assessment of the affected population and infrastructure be carried out to determine any additional support that may be required.
The relief materials approved and brought into the state included food and non-food items, as well as bags of parboiled rice, maize, spaghetti, vegetable oil, seasoning cubes, tomato paste, iodised salt and mattresses.
The Agency explained that it remains committed to working with all stakeholders to alleviate the suffering of victims and restore normalcy to the affected community.
Meanwhile, the Agency, in a post on its official X handle @nemanigeria, said that casualty figures remain inconsistent due to the volatile security situation and limited access to affected areas.
It explained that on-going rescue and recovery operations are expected to provide more accurate figures.
According to the post: “Following a distress alert, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were deployed to the scene. Tragically, two soldiers and one NSCDC officer lost their lives in an ambush while responding to the incident in Daudu.
“Dozens sustained injuries, with 46 individuals rushed to hospitals. Sadly, 20 later succumbed to their injuries at the Hospital. Medical teams have called for urgent blood donations to support critical care efforts.
“The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the attack and reported that some of the assailants were neutralized during an exchange of gunfire.
“Meanwhile, efforts to support displaced populations are underway. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), UNHCR, Red Cross, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are coordinating relief activities at a newly established Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the Makurdi International Market.
“Over 3,000 individuals, including many women and children, have been displaced and are in urgent need of food, non-food items (NFIs), potable water, and essential medical supplies.
“As of last night, displacement figures stood at 1,069 households, comprising 6,527 individuals. Among them are 1,768 females, 759 males, 657 children under 18, 1,870 adults above 18, 252 lactating mothers, 82 pregnant women, and 91 elderly persons”.
