By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The United Nations Mine Action Services (UNMAS) in collaboration with Centre for Social Cohesion Peace and Empowerment (CENSCOPE), other partners has disclosed that at least 755 people were killed by landmine, while 1, 321 were injured in six years of Boko Haram attacks.
They called on the Federal Government to expedite action to establish the centre for Mine Action to enable the body to coordinates its activities in the country.
The National Coordinator National Humanitarian Mine Action Committee, Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu (rtd) made this known during this year’s commemoration of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance for Mine Action with the theme: ‘Mine Action Cannot Wait’ held in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
Shehu said insecurity in the North East, although greatly reduced, still remains a big challenge to returning populations as it limits access to arable land for agricultural production.
He said, according to the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), “since 2016, 755 civilians have been killed and 1,321 injured by explosive ordnance – an average rate of more than one civilian every day.
“Civilians continue to be the main targets of attacks involving person-borne improvised explosive devices Nigeria recorded the second-highest number of improvised explosive device (IED) incidents globally over the past three years with 619 casualties.
“Many areas remain contaminated with unexploded ordnance and will require mine risk/demining services to ensure safe access to farmland for agricultural activities.
“The presence of different types of Explosive Ordinances (EO) prevents safe access to agricultural land essential for food security, restricts freedom of movement critical for protection and hinders early recovery”.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruq represented by the Director of Humanitarian Affairs, Grema Alhaji Kadi expressed Federal Government’s concern about ensuring success in getting all communities that have suffered insurgency rid of explosive devices.
Faruq commended the efforts of international organizations in the fight against landmines and other explosive devices as well as providing necessary assistance to curtail the proliferation of landmines.
Earlier, the Executive Director of (CENSCOPE), Abubakar Abdullahi Suleiman said the call by the Federal Government to establish the Humanitarian Mine Action Centre becomes necessary to ensure the victims of landmines and explosives devices get deserved attention.
Suleiman said if the centre is fully inaugurated they would create awareness about the dangers of landmines and other explosive devices and provide necessary assistance to eradicate them.
