Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has asked the Federal Government to suspend the conduct of the National Population Census until all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) return to their ancestral homes.
Ortom made the call when he received in the audience a delegation from the Middle Belt Forum led by its President, Dr Bitrus Pogu.
Ortom said a large number of people in the state were still in the IDP camps and may not be counted because they need to be in their localities before they can participate in the exercise.
The outgoing governor however said that the Federal Government should ensure adequate security for the IDPs in Benue and elsewhere in the country to allow them to go back to their homes.
“I want to say that the Federal Government should suspend the issue of the census because it looks like the proposed census is coming with an agenda.
“So, until they are able to restore security and all our IDPs go back to their ancestral lands to give all of them opportunities to be counted in the homes of birth.
“Because I understand from the National Population Commission that those to be counted must be counted in their localities.
“I want to say that the Federal Government should suspend the issue of the census because it looks like the proposed census is coming with an agenda.
“So, until they are able to restore security and all our IDPs go back to their ancestral lands to give all of them opportunities to be counted in the homes of birth.
“Because I understand from the National Population Commission that those to be counted must be counted in their localities."
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