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, Thursday, inaugurated the Mine Action Committee (MAC) to save citizens in the North East from the threat of explosive ordnances.
Speaking at the inauguration of the committee made up of select staff of agencies under the ministry, Farouq said that the National Humanitarian Mine Action Committee will eventually transform into 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, unfortunate 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.
“Since 2016, 755 civilians have been killed and 1,321 injured by EO – a rate of more than one civilian every day. The most recent incident is August this year where 13 people were killed by explosive ordnances in Bama LGA of Borno State. Given the absence of a comprehensive incident-data-tracking system, these figures are likely to be a significant underestimate. The majority of victims are men involved in farming, travelling and scrap metal collection. Women and children are also at risk while collecting wood, shepherding and playing. Notably, the number of explosive incidents has increased in 2021, with 293 explosive incidents recorded from January to the first week of November 2021 as compared to 295 for the whole of 2020.
“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 rebuilt until such weapons are cleared. Contaminated land cannot be farmed.
“Explosive ordnance (EO), most notably improvised explosive devices, causes deaths and severe injuries, impedes access to basic services and socio-economic activities, and hampers safe resettlement and movement of refugees, IDPs and returnees. EO results in tragic deaths and injury, impedes access to basic services and socio-economic activities, and hampers safe resettlement and population movements. IEDs – often known as ‘weapons in waiting’ – are particularly destructive. The presence of EO prevents safe access to agricultural land (essential for food security), restricts freedom of movement (critical for protection) and hinders early recovery. EO has an adverse impact on health, including an increase in psychosocial distress and GBV incidents. Without a proper NTS, EO can also impede the distribution of food and NFIs.
“Additionally, local communities often have no means of dealing with the problem themselves. Most do not have the technical capacity or the resources to clear explosive remnants of war safely and few the resources needed to deal with the psychological, medical and rehabilitative needs of victims. For a safe return of our IDPs, refugees in the north east, as well as for farming activities to resume, agricultural lands must be surveyed for explosive contamination, and farmers provided with Explosive Ordnance Risk Education.
“It is for this reason, that President Muhammadu Buhari, during the commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day 2022, directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, to come up with a solution to the threat of explosive ordnance. It is therefore, in compliance with that Presidential Directive, to save our citizens in the north east from the threat of explosive ordnances, that I am today inaugurating the National Humanitarian Mine Action Committee. It is expected that this Committee will eventually transform into National Mine Action Centre that will develop national capacity for Humanitarian Mine Action
“To the members of this Committee, I charge you to commit yourselves to this important assignment as your commitment will not only save lives but also enable Nigeria to fulfill her s obligations under international treaties that require the country to assist victims of explosive ordnance.
“To our partners, donors, UN agencies, and diplomatic representations, I urge you all to support the work of this Committee as Nigeria moves towards building national capacity in Humanitarian Mine Action .”