By Austin Angwe, Makurdi
The European Union, EU, has pledged its commitment to partner the Benue State government by supporting policies that would promote lasting peace among communities.
He made the pledge when he led a high-level delegation of some United Nations partners to pay a visit on survivors of the Yelewata attack, at the International Ultra-Modern Market temporary IDPs camp.
During an interview with journalists, Tuesday, in Makurdi, after interacting with survivors, EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot said they were in the state to meet those displaced during the Yelewata attack to identify and express solidarity as well as support the victims.
He said during the visit the team held meetings with the IDPs, where they listened to their testimonies as well as interacted with authorities of the state government to see how best EU could contribute to peace building and provide immediate support to the displaced persons.
Mignet also revealed that during the visit the EU will launch a programme on Social Protection, a programme that was planned sometimes, stating that the launch wouldn’t have come at a better time than now and expressed continued support of the EU to authorities of the state government particularly all communities who have been victims of the protracted violence.
Mignet recalled that the formation of the EU after the World War was to foster prosperous society in Europe for peaceful coexistence and to build lasting peace through dialogue as well as mutual understanding, assuring the Benue state government, particularly the displaced population of the European Union’s support for peace to return to troubled communities.
Country Director, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, Christian Munduate said her team along with UNHCR, IOM and other United Nations Agencies who have being on ground carried out thorough assessment as well as interacted with the displaced persons to discover that the IDPs are yearning to go back to their ancestral homes.
“They want to move ahead, to still work on their farms, have their loved ones. They want their children to be at school, this is very commendable because the easy way should be.. ooo.. let us stay in camp, because here, maybe, our lives will be soft but instead they want to go back, they want to still continue working. This speaks high about the people”, she said.
She assured that because of the destruction UNICEF will offer support to the state government in primary healthcare by providing facilities at the camp, see what is the conditions around the camp, water sources, such as boreholes, to make them functional.
The UNICEF Country Director also promised that in partnership with the EU they would come up with a joint response to cushion the hardship as well as support government for the return of the IDPs to their ancestral communities.
Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mrs Serumun Aber expressed appreciation to UNICEF and the UN for their prompt response support, assuring that government would do everything possible for peace to return for the displaced population to go back to their ancestral homes to continue farm work.