181,000 People Displaced In Katsina – IOM

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has said the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Katsina state  stands at nearly 181,000, highlighting the growing humanitarian impact of insecurity and climate-related disasters in the state.

The Chief of Mission, IOM, Sharon Dimache disclosed the figure during a media engagement on displacement, peacebuilding and early warning initiatives in the North-West.

According to the IOM, 737,073 internally displaced people have been recorded across the North West with Katsina accounting for almost 181,000 of the affected population.

Neighbouring Zamfara state has more than 261,000 displaced persons, while almost 147,000 returnees have been recorded across the North West, including more than 37,000 returnees in Katsina.

The organisation, however, cautioned that returning home does not necessarily mean that displaced persons have found a durable solution to their problems.

IOM stressed that the returnees must be able to live in safety, rebuild their livelihoods, send their children to school and regain a sense of security and community stability.

“Return is not automatically a durable solution,” the IOM official said, stressing the need to address the conditions that forced people to flee in the first place.

The official said displacement in Katsina and other parts of the North West was being driven by multiple factors, particularly insecurity and climate-related shocks.

Between January 2025 and January 2026, reported incidents displaced more than 138,000 people in Katsina and Zamfara with nearly 72,000 displacements attributed to floods, heavy rainfall and windstorms, while almost 60,000 were linked to insecurity.

The IOM said the figures demonstrated that displacement should not be viewed only through the lens of conflict, as families affected by floods and other disasters often experience similar consequences, including loss of livelihoods, disruption of children’s education, fear and uncertainty.

The organisation said there were, however, encouraging signs, noting that across the North West and North Central regions, the assessed number of IDPs declined by nearly five per cent between October 2025 and February 2026, while the number of returnees increased by nearly five per cent.

The IOM official attributed part of the progress to peacebuilding, early-warning mechanisms and efforts to strengthen community resilience.

He said conflicts often had warning signs that could be detected before they escalated into violence and displacement, stressing the importance of ensuring that information reaches authorities and communities early enough for preventive action.

“When early warning works, the results may never be the news,” he said, explaining that early intervention could prevent disputes from escalating, keep farmers on their land and ensure children remain in school.

The IOM also acknowledged the role of the Nigerian government and the European Union in supporting programmes aimed at strengthening peacebuilding, early warning and community resilience.

The organisation said its partnership with the European Union was designed not only to respond to displacement after crises occur but also to address the underlying conditions that force people to leave their homes.

The latest figures underscore the continuing humanitarian challenge facing Katsina. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix has also documented fresh displacement linked to armed bandit attacks in the state in 2026.

The IOM called for an integrated approach, combining security, peacebuilding, early warning, livelihoods and community empowerment to reduce displacement and create conditions for sustainable returns.