Red Cross helps 20,000 IDPs in central region

The Nigerian Red Cross has begun giving food aid to more than 20,000 people displaced by unrest in central Nigeria since last year, Red Cross spokesman Patrick Bawa told IRIN on Thursday.

"The food assistance is mostly in the form of dry rations and distribution by our volunteers started today," Bawa said.

The displaced people, comprising 4,100 families, live in the Daudu, Ukpiam and Agacha camps in the central state of Benue, populated mainly by people from the Tiv ethnic group. Some fled clashes in June 2001 between Tivs and Azeris in Nasarawa State (west of Benue). Others were displaced by fighting between Tivs and Jukuns in Taraba State to the east. Still others fled reprisal attacks by the military against Tiv communities after 19 soldiers were killed by a Tiv militia.

The Nigerian Red Cross said in a statement that the food distribution was the fourth phase of relief assistance being provided to victims of last year’s clashes. It is being done in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with financial assistance from the British Department for International Development (DFID), according to the statement.

Some 7.5 million naira (US $65,789) out of a DFID grant of 16.9 million naira (about US $149,000) was spent on the procurement of 13,686 bags of grain, the Nigerian Red Cross said. The grant has also been used to buy vegetable oil and sugar, and for transport, storage, monitoring and evaluation, it added.