The International Rescue Committee has set aside $250,000 as emergency relief money for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Plateau State.
According to the charity organization, the funds would be used to support and meet the urgent needs of the IDPs in the state.
The inhabitants of the state had been confronted by the crisis, which had resulted in the deaths and displacement of several inhabitants, according to a statement issued on Friday by the IRC Country Director in Nigeria, Babatunde Ojei.
The statement read, “The International Rescue Committee is swiftly responding to the escalating conflict in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria, by allocating $250,000 in emergency relief funds.
“This vital support aims to address the urgent needs of displaced individuals, encompassing water, sanitation, and hygiene initiatives, safety measures, economic recovery and development, and the incorporation of safeguarding principles across all intervention programmes.”
Meanwhile, women and children are the most severely affected by persistent communal clashes in Plateau State, which have claimed about 200 lives in the last four months, according to the INGO.
According to the IRC, several of the damaged villages are still inaccessible, making proper IDPs evaluations difficult.
“Plateau State has endured a long history of deadly conflicts, and the current crisis has witnessed a distressing surge in casualties, property destruction, and mass displacement,” the statement quoted the IRC Country Director in Nigeria, Babatunde Ojei, as saying.
According to the INGO, the most recent information obtained from the most impacted Mangu Local Government Area revealed that approximately 19,000 people had become IDPs as a result of the fighting and the damage to crops, making access to food and income production difficult.
“Of these, about one-third are children aged zero to five, and 10 percent are widows,” the organisation said.
“The situation in Plateau State is dire, demanding immediate action and attention to aid those ensnared in the ongoing conflict,” its West Africa Regional Communication Manager, Vianey Afangbedji, was quoted as saying.
