Yala (Ukelle) War: More Than 15 Babies Born In IDP Camp

 
More than 15 babies have been reported to be delivered in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp set up in Oju Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State where the displaced persons of Wanikade and Wanihem of Ukelle in Yala LGA in Cross River State are currently camping in the past weeks.

This information was made available to Calabar Reporters by Mr. Udey Ador, a staff with the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA. Meanwhile, the Director General, Mr. John Inaku had already stated the casualties involved which was published on our previous post.


With the unsecured condition they find themselves, people would begin to ask questions about these babies, how they are going to cope – but we leave that to the state government and through SEMA, we believe things would get back to normal. Although, the people had earlier complained to media outfit about their conditions, thanking the people of Benue for their kind gesture before the Cross River State Government intervened.
The people are camping there due to the ending communal war between the two communities, Wanikade and Wanihem over land dispute. According to the people, the only place to seek refuge at the moment was in Oju; but still, most persons are still in exile.

The people of Wanikade and Wanihem communities in Ukele, Yala LGA of Cross River State got themselves involved in a communal war over land dispute, but something has to be done for them to return home; the land their forefathers left for them.
As a result of the war, over 150 people were killed, 1,233 houses destroyed while over 14, 000 are currently displaced from their ancestral homes. Some can’t even find their way out, while Cross River State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMA are still in hunt for them.
They are over 4,000 IDPs from Cross River State currently camping in Oju LGA of Benue state. The pictures in this article shows the plight of the women and children whose dreams have been cut-short by lingering crisis in the area.
 
According to George Odok, a News Agency of Nigeria correspondent, the women and children are suffering inside the thick forest without food, water, light, and a place to sleep. The long wing of the building that they found themseves in has no doors or Windows, they sleep with reptiles and mosquitoes daily. Currently, they are over 15 new borns in the camp.
“The story of the IDP’s is that of tears, frustration and fear of the unknown.
“These group of persons need our support. The Cross River State government has provided them with food and non-food materials, but we can as well lend our own support to them with a view to alleviate their plight. Should they return back to their homes today, what will they venture into? Their farm lands have equally been destroyed; thus, their means of economic survival have been cut-short”, Odok said.
By the time of filing this report, the situation in Ukelle is yet to be calm and the people are still living in the IDP camp, whilst the Cross River State Government makes provision for their basic needs. Many are being discovered everyday as the numbers of IDPs increases.