The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) has been at the forefront of combating insecurity, sensitising Nigerians on the recruitment of juveniles into armed and ideological groups, inauguration of committee on evacuation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), among other interventions; PAUL OKAH reports.
There is a common saying that security is everybody’s business, hence the collaboration of different stakeholders with security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property in different parts of the country.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), which was established in 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari, is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating, formulating and implementing social protection policy as well as providing effective humanitarian intervention in the country.
However, as a result of the growing insecurity in the country, the ministry has taken a step further in the discharge of its mandate by collaborating with security agencies and stakeholders in the sensitisation of Nigerians on the recruitment of juveniles into armed and ideological groups, evacuation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the North East, among other interventions.
Stakeholders brainstorm on recruitment of juveniles
On January 10, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr. Nasiru Sani-Gwarzo, lamented the recruitment of juveniles and minors by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) in causing insecurity in different states across the federation and waging war against the federal government.
Speaking in Abuja, during a programme on sensitisation and awareness on NSAGs and exploitation of juveniles into armed and ideological groups, Dr. Nasiru Sani-Gwarzo, represented by the Director of Humanitarian Affairs, Alhaji Ali Grema, said the programme was intended to create awareness on the recruitment process/ills of exploitation of juveniles by NSAGs.
He said, “It is pertinent to mention that juveniles are more easily groomed, indoctrinated, manipulated, victimized and recruited into different criminal/violent extremist groups. It is also noteworthy to mention that this problem is on the increase especially in the conflict zones of the country which is a serious threat to our national security.
“These gaps that have been observed necessitated the Ministry to organise this programme with the view to brainstorming with relevant stakeholders and identify areas of concern as well as devising a national policy framework for protection of juveniles and orphans.
“There is a deliberate and intentional focus of the government to reduce or eliminate the tactics used by terrorists, bandits and violent extremist groups in Nigeria. It is expected that at the end of this programme, every one present will have a proper grasp of the recruitment strategy employed by the NSAGs and deploy appropriate mechanisms to counter it; community/religious leaders should be able to understand a red flag in the behavioural changes of juveniles.
“The stakeholders should be able to implore preventive strategies on juveniles that show traits commiserate to extremism behaviour. All stakeholders should be able to educate others on the exploitation of juveniles by non-state armed groups.”
Consultants’ take
Also speaking, a consultant on violent extremism and the Executive Director of Renvoi Consult, Mr. Saka Azimazi, said the federal government should look into tackling the social system that leads to the abandonment of children if the federal government means business in tackling the menace.
Similarly, the national coordinator, Young Ambassadors Against Drug Abuse Initiative, Barrister Zainab Khaleel, said the federal government should look into tackling the social system that excludes children from decision making processes and matters that affect them.
Staff training
On November 15, last year, the Ministry organised sensitisation training for its management staff on Grade Level 15 to 17 on risks of kidnapping, hostage taking and other security drills in Abuja.
The head of special duties department, Mrs. Nadia Soso-Muhammed, represented by an assistant director in the Department of Special Needs, Mrs. Dinatu Wuyah, in her address, said the training became necessary due to the activities of the ministry in different parts of the country where the staff are exposed to dangers of insecurity, saying that in recent times, Nigeria had witnessed an upsurge in kidnapping with reports of several citizens abducted for ransom by bandits and terrorists.
She said: “The training for officers on GL 15 to 17 is aimed at providing the necessary orientation tools to ensure the safety and protection of the management staff of the ministry. Nigeria is currently facing numerous security challenges and these threats have gravely undermined its economic development, social progress, political stability, national and human security, as well as peaceful coexistence in the country.
“It is a fact that insecurity in Nigeria continues to restrict access to basic services, and both displaced people and vulnerable host communities require emergency support and other necessary humanitarian assistance. To this end, the ministry, whose mandate is to provide assistance for the vulnerable groups in Nigeria, no matter the situation, has to find a way to provide this succour to the affected people. Hence this training becomes very significant to the staff of the ministry whose duty is to cater to vulnerable people.
“Another objective of this sensitisation lecture is to minimise potential and foreseeable security dangers and proffer possible ways of executing those programmes safely. More so, the Federal Government has recognised the gravity of challenges that insecurity has posed to national progress and economic development, etc.
“And it has articulated a broad policy framework through the office of the National Security Adviser to provide direction, coordination, and sensitisation on various initiatives to tackle the menace of insecurity in the country. It is my sincere hope that this important security lecture would bolster staff personal security awareness as well as improve their safety proficiency while carrying out their assignment.”
One of the facilitators, retired Wing Comdr. Musa Salmanu, delivered a lecture on hostage taking, kidnapping and negotiations on ransom payment/delivery.
Meanwhile, in his closing remark, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Musa Bungudu, commended the ministry training, advising for it to be extended to the junior staff in the ministry, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and all other stakeholders.
“This training is so important that we need more than one day to get quality delivery from facilitators. This will make us learn more and better. Also, every directorate, department and agency under the ministry should be provided with response kits, because sometimes humanitarian emergencies may happen when we least expect. We should also avoid show-offs of fancy cars, clothes and ways of life. This may make us targets of kidnappers,” Bungudu said.
C’ttee on explosive ordinances
Following the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to come up with a solution to the threat of explosive ordnance (EO), the Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, on October 20, inaugurated the Mine Action Committee (MAC) to save citizens in the North-east from the threat of explosive ordinances.
Speaking at the inauguration of the committee made up of select staff of agencies under the ministry, Farouq said the National Humanitarian Mine Action Committee will eventually transform into the National Mine Action Centre that will develop national capacity for Humanitarian Mine Action.
She said: “When an armed conflict is over, the battlefields are often littered with explosive debris. Much of this debris is still dangerous, in particular stocks of weapons left behind by combatants and explosive munitions that were fired but failed to go off as intended. As seen in other parts of the world, long after conflicts have ended, explosive ordnance could continue to kill, injure and impact the daily life of affected communities.
“Each year, large numbers of civilians are killed and injured by ‘explosive remnants of war.’ These are the unexploded weapons such as artillery shells, mortars, grenades, bombs and rockets, left behind after an armed conflict. A new, more complex contamination, that includes improvised explosive devices (IEDs), has a severe impact on civilians and infrastructure.
“Here in Nigeria, as the security situation in the North east continues to improve and people, IDPs and refugees are being resettled, unfortunately many innocent civilians have lost their lives and limbs by disturbing or inadvertently coming into contact with explosive remnants of war.
“According to the UN Humanitarian Programme Cycle 2022 issued February 2022, approximately 1.2 million individuals in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, continue to be affected by the widespread and indiscriminate use of EO, including refugees, IDPs, returnees and host communities.
“For the civilians and communities in war-affected areas of the north east, the presence of these weapons represents an ongoing threat. These weapons can also hinder reconstruction and threaten economic livelihood. Houses, hospitals and schools cannot be re-built until such weapons are cleared. Contaminated land cannot be farmed.”
