Two displaced pregnant women die in Benue host community

Two pregnant internally displaced women have died within five days in Agagbe, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, amid concerns over access to healthcare for families uprooted by violence.

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PUNCH reported on Tuesday that sources who spoke with its correspondent said the women died on 26 February and 1 March. The deceased, both displaced from their ancestral communities, had sought refuge in Agagbe following attacks in their areas.

One of the women was said to have developed severe abdominal pain before her death.

A source, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told PUNCH that her family could not afford proper medical care when her condition worsened.

“She complained of abdominal pain, but the family had no money for proper medical care. When the pain persisted, she was taken to a clinic in Agagbe, where she later died,” the source said.

While residents were still mourning her, the second woman reportedly fell ill and was later taken to a primary healthcare centre in Abani.

She died the following day and was deposited at a morgue in Agagbe, according to the source.

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The Information Officer of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, Tema Ager, said that although the women were displaced persons, they were not living inside an official camp but within the host community.

The latest deaths have renewed attention on the conditions facing displaced families in parts of Benue State, where many rely on overstretched primary healthcare facilities and informal support networks.

In September 2025, a 14-year-old displaced boy died after suffering a snake bite in the same local government area.

The teenager, who had been bitten while going to the farm with his father in Gaambe Ushin Council Ward, was later taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi but died on 1 September 2025.

Community sources had earlier raised concerns about multiple snake bite incidents among displaced residents in Agagbe.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on 5 October 2025 that thousands of displaced persons living at the Makurdi Ultra Modern International Market camp were exposed to poor sanitation, limited water supply and heightened health risks.

During that visit, pregnant women and nursing mothers were seen queuing for water in an environment marked by open refuse and inadequate toilet facilities.

The report cited fears by health officials that cholera and other communicable diseases could spread in overcrowded camps if sanitation support declined.

READ ALSO: Lassa Fever: Benue records death of 10 health workers, five doctors affected

Benue State has recorded repeated waves of displacement following attacks in rural communities, including the June 2025 violence in Yelwata and other parts of Guma and Gwer West local government areas.

Humanitarian agencies estimate that hundreds of thousands of residents remain displaced across the state, with many living either in formal camps or in host communities with limited access to healthcare, food and shelter.

The recent deaths in Agagbe underscore ongoing concerns that, beyond the immediate threat of violence, preventable health conditions continue to pose risks to displaced families.