By Sam Tyav, Makurdi
About nine months after a devastating terrorist attack on Yelwata town in Guma Local Government Area (LGA), Benue State, in which over 200 residents, including entire families, were massacred, some in their sleep, life is slowly returning to the area.
Already, the State Government has commenced the process of resettling affected victims of the town who were moved to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, by engaging in ongoing construction of permanent residential housing units for them.
At the last count, 45 of 62 units are in various stages of completion.
A visit to Yelwata town by some journalists led by the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber, clearly showed the gradual return of normalcy to the area as work was seen in progress to facilitate the return of the IDPs to their ancestral lands.
Speaking with journalists during the visit, Chairman of Yelwata Elders Forum, Mr. Fidelis Dze, who spoke through Publicity Secretary, Yelwata Youths Vanguard, Achin Tor Mathias, appreciated the State Government for the support they have received from Governor Hyacinth Alia to soften the harsh blows of hardship on them.
The community leader acknowledged the support from Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, who donated a princely sum of N1 billion to them, the Nasarawa State Government and other donors, noting that the Benue State Government was also doing its best to resettle them.
Dze explained that the community has given about 20 hectares of land to the State Government for resettlement purposes,noting that some units of houses were being constructed for the benefit of IDPs.
He, however, appealed that members of the community be adequately involved in the process of resettlement for better understanding of the process.
At the resettlement site, where some housing units were being erected, the contractor, Joachim Ohemu told journalists that the housing units would be completed within 90 days, assuring that he was ready to finish the work on schedule.
According to him, the plan of the State Government was to construct roads, build a school, provide security and provide other facilities in the area for the benefit of residents.
Reached for comments, State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disasters Management, Aondowase Kunde, differed from the Yelwata elders on the allegation of excluding them from the resettlement process, disclosing that the community members were part of meetings toward the process.
According to him, they were adequately participating.
The Commissioner noted that the State Government plans to rebuild the Yelwata to a better status, saying the structural plan has been designed.
He appreciated the elders of the community who generously donated land for resettlement purposes, insisting that the land and the buildings being erected belong to the people and not to government.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Some of the housing units being erected in the area.
