The Federal Government has launched a targeted humanitarian intervention in Benue State aimed at addressing food insecurity and nutrition challenges affecting communities impacted by displacement, insecurity, and communal conflicts.
The programme, tagged the Presidential Initiative on Food and Nutrition Assistance, was flagged off in the state by the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, who said the intervention reflects the government’s firm resolve to close existing humanitarian gaps across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Minister noted that armed violence, farmer–herder clashes, destruction of farmlands, and livelihood disruptions have significantly weakened agricultural productivity and strained household incomes, particularly in Benue, widely regarded as the “Food Basket of the Nation.”
He explained that the combined effects of insecurity and displacement have disrupted food systems and placed enormous pressure on vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
According to him, the initiative is designed not only to cushion the immediate impact of food shortages and displacement but also to serve as an entry point into a broader, long-term social protection framework.
Doro disclosed that as part of ongoing reforms, the Federal Government is expanding and strengthening the National Social Register to ensure that vulnerable and affected populations are properly identified, documented, and integrated into structured social protection systems nationwide.
“We will not allow humanitarian gaps to widen, and we will not abandon vulnerable citizens in their time of need,” the Minister stated, describing the intervention as strategic and deliberate.
In his remarks, Governor Hyacinth Alia commended the Federal Government for what he described as a demonstration of strong political will and national solidarity.
The governor recalled that Benue has faced sustained humanitarian pressures due to persistent insecurity and communal clashes, particularly farmer–herder conflicts, which have disrupted farming activities and rural livelihoods.
He listed the consequences to include rising food prices driven by disrupted supply chains, increasing cases of malnutrition among children and pregnant women, heightened poverty levels, and overcrowded IDP camps struggling with inadequate water, sanitation, healthcare, and educational services.
Alia further noted that several communities have suffered attacks resulting in loss of lives, destruction of homes, and the displacement of thousands into IDP camps and host communities.
Reaffirming the state government’s commitment to tackling insecurity, the governor pledged continued collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, security agencies, humanitarian partners, and other stakeholders to ensure the success of the intervention.
The Presidential Initiative, he said, underscores the determination of the Federal Government to ensure that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry, particularly those in conflict-affected and high-risk communities.
