From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Due to the current upsurge in terrorism as a result of the murderous activities of bandits in parts of the North West of Nigeria, the United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has report shows that the area has a total of over one million population of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), with Katsina State occupying an inglorious first position.
The IOM said 54 and 56 percent of the figure are women and children, respectively, based on the organisation’s research 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.
He said: “The North West has over one million IDPs, and about 29 percent of them are from Katsina State alone.”
He said 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 processes in the state. He noted that the project was aimed at reducing conflicts and promoting locally-driven peace initiatives, among other objectives, in the Northwest of 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.