IOM affirms displacement of 1.3m people in N’West 
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has confirmed negotiations with bandits terrorising farming communities in Katsina State after two years of debate on whether to seal a peace deal with the hoodlums or not.
 
Radda, who at different times distanced himself from dialogue with bandits in the state, however, yesterday, affirmed that the peace deal had restored peace in four frontline local councils.
 
Unveiling an 18-month European Union-funded project, Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) in Katsina, the governor said negotiation was ongoing in an additional two frontline council areas of the state.
 
The CPCRR project is being implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and Mercy Corps in Katsina and Zamfara states, to foster peace and socio-economic stability.
 
Radda said, “This project is not a top-down intervention. It is community-owned, locally-led and culturally-sensitive. From the onset, we have ensured that community voices, especially those of women, youths and persons with disabilities, are central to planning and implementation. So, the state government has already gone far in this. 

“I can assure you that due to this locally-made community peace initiative, we are able to resolve crises in four of our frontline local governments out of the eight that we already have, and negotiation is going on in two additional frontline local governments.”
 
He clarified that the project was designed to tackle the root causes of conflict and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable villages and communities, spanning “eight high-risk local governments” in the state.
 
Earlier, the IOM Chief of Mission, Dimanche Sharon, said the CPCRR project targeted over 95,000 persons across communities in Katsina and Zamfara states.
 
She explained that over 1.3 million people, including women and children, have been displaced by conflict in the Northwest region since February 2025.
 
“Too many families have been displaced, too many farms abandoned, and too many lives disrupted by insecurity. Yet, despite these challenges, the people of Katsina and Zamfara have shown resilience, determination, and the will to rebuild,” she added.