Writing By Ismai’l Adamu; Editing By Godwin Duru
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says at least 1.3 million people have been displaced by violent conflict in Northwest Nigeria where banditry and cross border crime have raged for over a decade.
The IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Dimanche Sharon, announced this in Katsina at the launch of a €5.1 million conflict prevention and crisis response program in ten local government areas ravaged by conflict across Katsina and Zamfara states.
“North West Nigeria has witnessed mass displacements in the past several years, the region has 1.3 million displaced persons as of February 2025, from the IOM Diaplacement Tracking Matrix, too many families have abandoned their homes and farmlands”, Sharon said.
The 18-month intervention which is being supported by the European Union will be implemented in collaboration with the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) and Mercy Corps as a follow-up to the Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconcoliation project implemented earlier.
The lastest program which is tagged ‘Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience’ (CPCRR), will target 95,000 beneficiaries in Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Faskari Sabuwa and Dandume local government areas in Katsina State and Bungudu and Gusau local government areas in Zamfara State.
Sharon explained that the program was aimed at addressing the root causes of conflict, promoting social cohesion, enhancing community resilience and encouraging local actors to resolve disputes through dialogue.
She noted that the program will also strengthen local governance institutions, engage local actors to come up with homegrown solutions to the conflict and “provide skills training and livelihood support” to help the communities recover from trauma inflicted by years of violence.
The IOM Chief said the program also has a climate change adaptation component where fuel-efficient stoves will be distributed to 3,000 households while 500 farmers will be trained on climate-smart agriculture, livestock management and sustainable grazing practices.
The European Union ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Guatier Migno, reiterated the body’s commitment to the security, development and prosperity of Nigeria through various interventions that seek to strengthen governance and empower local communities.
He said EU will prioritize security and peace building in its interventions in northwest states of Nigeria through sustainable investments in agriculture, food security, afforestation and climate change resilience to address the root causes of conflict in the zone.
While calling for the involvement of women in the peace building process, Mr. Migno pledged EU’s commitment to the successful implementation of the CPCRR program.
Katsina State governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, who highlighted the deaths, displacements and others socio-economic losses incurred by communities in the state, said the state still faces serious security and humanitarian crisis as a result of years of conflict.
Radda who inaugurated a seventeen-member steering committee for the implementation of the CPCRR project, urged benefitting communities to take ownership of the program and sustain its legacy beyond the implementation period.
He noted that the state government had actively supported the first phase of the program launched in 2023, and has entered a partnership with UNDP to construct N2 billion worth of housing units to resettle displaced communities in Jibia local government area of the state.
The Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience program will engage civil society organizations, community based organizations, non-governmental organizations and traditional rulers in mobilizing community participation towards the peace building efforts.
Isma’il Adamu
