The impact of insecurity, including insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping, has recently had devastating effects on the lives of citizens, leading to loss of lives, valuable properties, and means of livelihood, as well as painful displacement and other burdens. Women and children, particularly in the most affected areas of Northern Nigeria, are especially vulnerable due to their dependency and weakness. This study examines the experiences of internally displaced women living as destitute in Ile-Ife town, Osun State, Nigeria.

Utilizing a descriptive research design, qualitative data were gathered from in-depth interviews with four selected internally displaced women from Zamfara State. The data were analyzed using thematic and content analysis approaches.

The findings reveal that displaced women, especially those from the North, who are now settlers in Ile-Ife, face severe social and economic hardships, forcing some into begging for survival. These hardships include forced displacement, destitution, begging, social exclusion, and psychological trauma. The study concludes that these circumstances have significantly diminished the pride and dignity of many displaced women, causing them to accept a second-class status.

The study recommends that policymakers, stakeholders in development, NGOs, civil society, and human rights groups should prioritize addressing the issues faced by displaced women.