By Nkechi Eze
The President of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Oghogho G. Musa, on Wednesday, June 26, 2025, undertook a humanitarian visit to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, Benue State, where she interacted with displaced families and led the distribution of critical relief items. The visit was part of a coordinated outreach by DEPOWA in partnership with the Defence Headquarters, aimed at providing much-needed support to communities affected by recent violent attacks in parts of Benue.
Mrs Musa, accompanied by officials of DEPOWA and military personnel, was warmly received by camp coordinators and community leaders. During the visit, she took time to assess the living conditions in the camp, toured medical facilities, and engaged directly with women, children, and elderly persons who shared their experiences of displacement and the difficult circumstances under which they now live. The DEPOWA President expressed empathy over their plight and assured the displaced persons that the association, in collaboration with relevant authorities, would continue to prioritize their welfare.
Relief materials distributed during the outreach included food items, clothing, sanitary supplies, and other essential household goods. Mrs Musa emphasized that the initiative was not just about temporary relief, but part of a broader plan to support the resilience and recovery of affected families. She urged the IDPs to remain hopeful, adding that the Nigerian Armed Forces and its supporting institutions would not relent in their efforts to secure the region and restore normalcy.
The visit also saw Mrs Musa interfacing with camp administrators and volunteer workers, where she commended their dedication and called for stronger collaboration between humanitarian groups and security agencies to improve service delivery to the displaced population. She acknowledged the immense pressure on camp infrastructure due to the increasing number of displaced persons and noted that DEPOWA would be engaging other stakeholders, including federal and state emergency management bodies, to scale up support.
Her visit came on the sidelines of a wider military-civil engagement in Benue State, which included a courtesy call by the Chief of Defence Staff to the Benue State Government and traditional rulers, as part of efforts to strengthen peacebuilding in the region. Mrs Musa’s presence at the IDP camp reinforced the military’s soft-power approach to addressing the humanitarian fallout of insecurity and underscored DEPOWA’s evolving role as a frontline partner in community support and resilience-building.
Speaking briefly before departing the camp, Mrs Musa stated that the association was deeply moved by the courage of the displaced families and remained committed to doing everything within its capacity to restore hope and dignity to the victims of violence. Her visit drew appreciation from residents of the camp, who described it as a timely show of solidarity and a boost to their morale amidst ongoing hardships.
