From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Humanitarian priest in the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Rev. Fr. Solomon Ukeyima, has visited Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs), at Uikpam camp, in Guma Local Government Area, (LGA), Benue state, where he donated both food and non food items.
Ukeyima has been mobilising support for the IDPs since the attacks on local farmers in the state took a devastating toll, forcing villagers to take refuge in official and unofficial IDPs camps across the state.
Speaking to the IDPs during the visit, Fr. Ukeyima encouraged them to keep faith in God believing that the solutions to the problems confronting man lies with Him.
He said “We’ve come to encourage you and to show you that we have not forgotten about you. Don’t give up. Keep faith in Him, believing that the solutions to our problems lies with God.”
While charging leaders in the camp to ensure judicious distribution of the aid, Ukeyima expressed optimism that this year will be better than the previous years.
He also called for prayers for those who “send me to bring this aid to you as well as myself.”
Responding on behalf of the State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) and the IDPs, Special Assistant to the SEMA Executive Secretary, Alexander Aondona, appreciated the donors and prayed God to give Fr. Ukeyima more strength and blessing to continue to mobilise help for them.
Some of the items donated include bags of rice, garri, sorghum, yams, maize, noodles and goats as well as non food materials such as clothes and foot wears.
