Due to the current upsurge in terrorism asa result of the murderous activities of bandits in parts of the North-West of Nigeria, the United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reports that the area has a total of over one million population of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with Katsina State occupying an inglorious first position.
According to the IOM, 54 and 56 per cent of the figure are women and children respectively, based on the organisation’s research it conducted in October 2022.
The IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Laurent De Boeck, dropped the figures in Katsina on Monday at the official launch of the group’s Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation Project in the North-West.
According to him, “the North-West with over one million IDPs and about 29 per cent of them from Katsina state alone.”
He said that the IOM, Mercy Corps and the Centre Democracy and Development with support from the European Union were collaborating with the Katsina State government to promote community reconciliation process in the state.
He noted that the project is aimed at reducing conflicts and promoting locally-driven peace initiative, among other objectives, in the North-West Nigeria.
For Katsina, the project is being implemented in four Local Government Areas of Dandume, Danmusa, Batsari and Jibia.
Also speaking at the programme, the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Security, Nasiru Muazu Danmusa, appealed for “more support in the fight against insecurity which has bedevilled parts of the state.”
No fewer than 18 out of the 34 Local Government Areas of Katsina State have remained the most vulnerable to persistent terrorist attacks with a number of residents losing their lives and displacement of others.
The communities share borders with the notorious Rugu forest, reported to be a bandits’ haven.