Nigeria: 620,000 Displaced By Banditry, Kidnapping in North-West - IOM

What the report says

The International Organization for Migration says nearly 620,000 people have been displaced across Nigeria’s North-West by armed banditry and kidnapping. In the latest assessment cited by the organization, that total accounts for about 84% of the 737,073 internally displaced people recorded in the states that were reviewed in the region.

The update was presented in Katsina by IOM’s Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Sharon Dimanche, during a media briefing focused on displacement and peace-building in the North-West. According to the report, insecurity remains the main force pushing people from their homes, while climate-related disasters are also adding pressure by damaging livelihoods and disrupting schooling and family stability.

Dimanche said Katsina has been one of the hardest-hit states, with more than 138,000 people displaced by insecurity and natural disasters between January 2025 and January 2026. The IOM also said nearly 147,000 returnees have been recorded across the North-West, including more than 37,000 in Katsina, but cautioned that returning does not necessarily mean families can safely rebuild.

The organization’s North-West sub-office head, Jean Nahesi, said cooperation with the European Union is supporting peace-building, early warning systems and community resilience. The broader significance of the report is that it highlights how armed violence and environmental stress are combining to deepen humanitarian needs and complicate durable returns in the region.