Following a recent attacks by government suspected to be herdsmen in Bassa and Bokkos Local Government Areas of Plateau State have left a devastating impact, deaths, destruction of properties and misery.
This has also led to the displacement of many from their ancestral land Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and other places.
In its effort to bring succor to the victims of the attacks therefore, PLAN International Nigeria has provided relief materials to about 1,850 households in several affected communities. This included families who lost loved ones and property during the crisis.
PLAN International is a non-governmental organization with focused on development and humanitarian work and have have been doing so in Plateau State and also reported this in several media and platforms.
Among the communities that benefitted from the relief materials distribution are Daffo, Hurti, Manguna, Mangor, Ruwi and Tadai (Bokkos LGA) and Zike, Kwall, Hwara and Kimapka (Bassa LGA).
And the intervention was a 45-day programme funded by Start Network and implemented in partnership with Christian Aid, CAFOD, and JDPC, aimed at providing Protection and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services to affected families.
In that respect, the relief materials distributed included dignity kits and WASH kits designed to help families maintain hygiene and live with dignity amid difficult conditions, and so their response is geared towards supporting women and girls affected by the conflict.
During the presentation, Yunusa John Ubitule who is there Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator with the Organization said pointed out that 1,850 households benefited from WASH items, while 1,100 women and adolescent girls received dignity kits.
He spoke at St. Williams Catholic Church, Kwall, venue of the event, and that they were in Plateau State to respond to the current attacks with a strong focus on the needs and rights of women and girls.
In the same development, 500 individuals—270 women and 230 men—are set to receive psychosocial first aid and trauma counseling to assist survivors in coping with the emotional trauma caused by the attacks and displacement.
“Our intervention targets communities in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs with urgent WASH and protection assistance,” he explained. “Most of what we distribute focuses on women and girls, including dignity kits and WASH kits containing buckets, kettles, bathing soap, detergent, and laundry soap to help families stay clean in their temporary settlements.”
He also described the distribution process as highly organized, involving sensitization, verification, and token issuance to ensure transparency and order. He praised community leaders for their cooperation despite challenges such as difficult access and bad weather. “We have completed 35 days of this 45-day project, with over 989 beneficiaries served in just four communities in Bassa alone,” he noted.
On her part, Mrs. Damaris Philemon, Gender Equality, Inclusion, and Protection Officer, pointed out the critical role of trauma counseling for those affected by violence, saying that many survivors experience deep emotional shock and distress after witnessing loss and destruction.
“If not addressed early, this trauma can cause long-term mental health problems. And to address this, PLAN International has trained community members to provide Psychological First Aid, creating safe spaces for survivors to share their experiences and learn coping skills.
“Peer-to-peer interaction is crucial because survivors often feel more comfortable opening up to others who have endured similar hardships,” Mrs. Philemon added. She explained that group discussions and hobbies like music help prevent isolation and mental relapse.
Local facilitators, it is also learnt, have been trained to continue psychosocial support beyond the project’s duration, ensuring ongoing help even after external agencies leave, upon which it was gathered that early feedback shows this approach is helping survivors normalize.
Meanwhile, residents of the affected communities commended PLAN International for the outreach and expressed their sincere appreciation for the intervention.
Christiana Friday from Gabia community said the relief items including a bag, bucket, wrapper, soaps, detergent, slippers, sanitary pads etc, are a lifesaver for her household after losing everything in the crisis. She said she lost everything during the attacks.
Janet Monday from Kimakpa showered commended PLAN International for the gesture, saying the items which included mats, wrappers buckets, detergent, soaps, and sanitary pads and very crucial for women in such a situation.
Whole Ali Hwara of Kimapka community noted that the equipment provided will also assist him on his farmland, helping him rebuild his livelihood.
Also, Janet Monday from hailed PLAN International Nigeria for supplying these essential items, saying it will help the women, and even the children a lot, in such a situation, as they are often the most vulnerable during crises and also suffer the burnt at the aftermath.