Former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Evangelist Tor Ujah, has canvassed the immediate disbanding of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps nationwide.

Addressing Christian leaders from different denominations at the Mission House International Headquarters in Makurdi, Ujah described IDP camps as massive fraud which benefit only a few at the expense of the victims they are intended for.

“We want the Benue State government, in conjunction with the Federal Government, to close down IDP camps right now, no IDP camp should be in operation in the land, none has been counted for any productivity,” he stated.

The cleric instead suggested that the government must rise to its responsibility of modernising places destroyed by the crisis through reconstruction and resettlement of those affected, insisting that temporary accommodation for attack victims should be provided in safe neighbourhoods closest to them rather than IDP camps.

The ex-Executive Secretary lamented that the Federal Government has allowed the crisis of herdsmen and bandits to linger for too long.

He added: “We are not the only country to have experienced these kinds of crises; Israel experienced it, and they mobilised all their resources to exterminate not only herdsmen but also the threat they posed. America had a similar experience where lawlessness and banditry became the order of the day, but the Americans had to stand up and exterminate these with a singleness of mind.

“We need a new way of looking at our people and their environment and bringing decisive action that will enable them not only to live in peace but also be productive and useful to the society.”