Today, the UK national newspaper, the Guardian, covered new MAG research on the landmine situation in north-east Nigeria.
The data we gathered shows casualties from landmines and unexploded bombs in northeast Nigeria have increased from 12 a month in 2016 to 19 a month in 2017/18 - 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.
Last November, five girls between eight and 17 years old found a metal ring on the ground. Two were young daughters of my sister. They thought it might be jewellery. One picked it up but it was linked to a bomb. They all died.
Deputy Headman of ‘International Camp’ in Borno StateSaleh Ibrahim
The conflict involving Boko Haram has killed 162 people and wounded 277 more in north-east Nigeria, according to data we gathered over a 27-month period.
We have launched a campaign to raise awareness of this shocking situation.
“Despite hundreds of people being recently killed or injured by landmines in Nigeria, the issue has largely gone under the radar,” says Chris Loughran, MAG's director of policy and advocacy.
“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.”
