BY JULIET EKWENUGO

BENUE

An American non-governmental organisation, Equipping the Persecuted (ETP), has settled the hospital bills of 12 victims injured during the recent attacks on Efeyi and Agadagba communities in Ogboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, providing relief to survivors receiving treatment at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital (FUHSO), Otukpo.

A total of 14 victims were treated at the hospital following the attacks, but the organisation paid the medical bills of 12 after two had already been discharged before the intervention.

The humanitarian gesture was carried out on Sunday when a delegation of the organisation, led by its representative, Mike Odeh James, visited the victims and presented the financial support directly to them.

The victims sustained varying degrees of injuries, including gunshot wounds to the intestines and genitals, as well as deep machete cuts, during the attacks allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani ethnic militias.

Speaking during the visit, James said the intervention followed an earlier assessment of the victims at the hospital, after which the founder and Executive Director of Equipping the Persecuted, American filmmaker and missionary Mr Judd Saul, directed that the organisation should settle their medical bills.

“If you recall, we came here for an assessment following the attacks by suspected Fulani ethnic militia. After seeing the clips of our interview with you, Mr Judd Saul asked that we make sure your hospital bills are settled,” James said.

He added that Saul was praying for the speedy recovery of all the victims.

Responding on behalf of the hospital management, the Protocol and Public Relations Officer of FUHSO, Mr Onyilokwu Edeh, commended the organisation and its founder for consistently supporting victims of violent attacks receiving treatment at the facility.

Edeh said the latest intervention was the third time ETP had provided humanitarian assistance to victims admitted to the hospital following attacks.

“This is almost the third time ETP is coming to this medical facility to offer lifelines to victims of terror attacks,” he said.

“You were here when Otukpo Nobi was attacked; you also helped the victims by giving them financial support. Now you are here again to support the victims of the Efeyi attack. The cash you are giving them will go a long way.

“On behalf of the management of FUHSO, we thank Mr Judd Saul and Equipping the Persecuted for this timely intervention,” Edeh added.

Sunday’s intervention marked the second time in three weeks that the US-based organisation has supported victims of violent attacks in Otukpo Local Government Area, having earlier paid the medical bills of survivors of the attack on Otukpo Nobi community.

Scores of residents were reportedly killed, while several others sustained injuries when gunmen invaded Efeyi, Agadagba and neighbouring communities in the early hours of Tuesday, July 28. Survivors alleged that no security personnel responded throughout the attack. The latest intervention is expected to ease the financial burden on the injured victims and their families as they continue their treatment and recovery.