In a significant move to localize a global conversation, Zamfara State has amplified the call for a unified response to the intertwined crises of migration and internal displacement, spotlighting the severe human toll of the region’s security situation.
By Shuaib Sadiq
Gusau, Dec. 23, 2025 (NAN) – Marking the 2025 International Migrants Day with a symbolic walk in Gusau, officials from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) delivered a stark message: the challenges facing migrants and the internally displaced demand immediate and collective action from all tiers of society.
The event, a collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), represented a pivotal “step-down” of the commemoration from the federal to the state level, directly bringing the dialogue to one of Nigeria’s most affected regions. Mr. Salisu Zakari, the Zamfara State Coordinator for NCFRMI, framed the day as a vital platform for fostering understanding, solidarity, and shared responsibility.
“This walk is more than a ceremony; it is a public appeal for awareness and unity,” Zakari stated. “Our aim is to mobilize institutions, development partners, and Civil Society Organisations toward durable solutions that ensure migration is safe, orderly, and voluntary—not forced by desperation.”
He provided crucial context, defining migrants broadly as those moving for better opportunities, whether Nigerians going abroad or foreigners entering Nigeria. However, he sharply distinguished this from the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). “We commiserate with IDPs who are displaced due to circumstances beyond their control, primarily the devastating security challenges that continue to plague our state,” Zakari explained, directly linking the commemoration to Zamfara’s local reality.
The scale of that reality was underscored by data from the IOM. During a recent visit, the Head of Mission, Mrs. Dimanche Sharon, revealed that Zamfara State alone is currently hosting over 200,000 displaced persons and close to 10,000 returnees. She placed this within a broader regional catastrophe, noting that parts of northern Nigeria have seen more than 650,000 people displaced. “Too many families have been uprooted, too many farms abandoned, and too many lives disrupted,” Sharon said, highlighting the profound socio-economic rupture caused by instability.
In response, Zakari outlined a two-pronged approach: “We prioritise quick emergency responses to save lives, but our core goal is durable solutions. This means creating the conditions for safe return to communities or, where that is impossible, facilitating secure resettlement.” This highlights the complex, long-term work required beyond initial humanitarian aid.
The state government, through the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Relief Matters, Alhaji Salisu Musa, reaffirmed its commitment. Represented by Hajiya UmmulKhairi Usman, the commissioner emphasized that “migration, when safe, orderly, and regular, is a powerful driver of development.” He promised continued collaboration with agencies and international bodies to uphold humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, and protection.
Adding a powerful cultural and traditional voice, the Emir of Gusau, Dr. Abdulkadir Ibrahim, contrasted the state’s heritage of hospitality with the current tragedy. “It is not a thing of joy that people are displaced. Our tradition is to welcome visitors with dignity… What we desire is peace so that everyone can return home,” the Emir stated, praying for migration to be a choice for development, not a consequence of violence.
The walk, which proceeded from the Emir’s Palace to the Zamfara Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA) office, served as a physical manifestation of the journey from advocacy to actionable governance. It coincided with the announcement of a concrete IOM response plan targeting over 95,000 people in Katsina and Zamfara, initially focusing on ten local government areas with plans to expand to Tsafe LGA in Zamfara.
Ultimately, the event transcended a routine commemoration. It served as a localized crisis briefing and a public rallying cry, connecting global Migration Day themes to the urgent, ground-level emergencies of displacement in Zamfara. The collective message was clear: addressing the cycle of migration and displacement requires more than walks and words—it demands sustained, integrated action on security, humanitarian relief, and long-term development to rebuild shattered lives and communities.
Edited by Muhammad Lawal
