New MAG research shows casualties from landmines and unexploded bombs in northeast Nigeria have increased from 12 a month in 2016 to 19 a month in 201718 – that’s an average of one person killed or injured in the region every 1.5 days. This gives Nigeria one of the ten highest casualty rates for landmines in the world.
The situation people are facing here is dire, everyone I have met in Borno State has been affected in one way or the other – whether losing a family member, a friend, or a house.
MAG’s Community Liaison Manager in NigeriaAvishek Banskota
A major regional conflict
Now in its ninth year, the fighting involving Boko Haram and national and international security forces has become a major regional conflict, increasing in intensity since 2014 and spreading to neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
The impact on the civilian population has been grave, particularly in the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. An estimated 7.7 million people including 4.3 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. In Borno State 1.6 million remain internally displaced and close to 200,000 people have sought refuge in the neighbouring countries.
This has left north-east Nigeria contaminated with a range of explosive items including locally-produced landmines, unexploded bombs and improvised explosive devices. These pose a significant threat to the lives of people living in or moving through affected areas, as well as to humanitarian workers.
We need your voice
International crisis planning does not prioritise the response to new landmine use in Nigeria. Until it does children and families will remain in danger every day.
We must take action to change this.
We are writing to Kate Osamor, the Chair of the UK’s Parliamentary Group for Nigeria, asking her to make a statement in the House of Commons urgently calling for this new landmine crisis to be included as a humanitarian response priority by the international community.
Please add your name to out letter below.
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