Abuja, June 25, 2025 – The federal government has commenced a needs assessment of the victims of the bandit attacks in Yelewata in Benue State.
Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, disclosed this in Makurdi on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with stakeholders and security heads.
He said the federal government needed comprehensive needs assessment of the victims and their community for effective interventions.
The minister said the assessment would include the humanitarian and development components for the victims, especially the people of Yelewata.
He said he was in the state on the directive of President Bola Tinubu to launch a social protection project to support vulnerable families in Benue.
The minister said those carrying out the needs assessment security protection; hence, the need to meet with security heads and stakeholders.
“We need to speak with security agencies to ensure that they provide security to those carrying out the needs assessment to ensure that they are protected to have the exact data for better decision-making.
“When it is done, we will come up with a blueprint, a short-term and long-term programme on what to do.
“First it will be for social protection and also provide things that will make life more meaningful to victims of attacks, especially the people of Yelewata,” he said.
