A retired security expert, Group Capt. Sadiq Shehu said there have been at least 1,366 explosions targeting civilians by insurgents in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe in the past five years, resulting in the death of 755 civilians and injuring 1,321 others.
Shehu disclosed this during a presentation at a two-day stakeholders engagement on current security challenges in the northeast, held in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
He urged the Federal Government to conduct a thorough Mine Risk Awareness and Clearance operation in the region to reduce the risks posed by explosives in the region.
The event was organized by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The retired officer emphasized that explosive ordinances have devastating effects on the population, hindering access to basic services, socioeconomic activities, and safe resettlement.
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Shehu also highlighted that approximately 1.2 million individuals in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states continue to be affected by the widespread use of explosive ordinances, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, children, and host communities.
He further pointed out that unexploded ordnances pose a continuous threat, causing harm to civilians, farmers, women collecting firewood, scrap metal scavengers, and children long after the conflicts have ended.
Shehu stressed the need for the implementation of the North East Development Commission’s report on Mine Risk Awareness and Mine Clearance in the region.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, expressed President Bola Tinubu’s concern about the challenges and the government’s efforts to address them.
He commended the Nigerian security forces for their efforts in safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and neutralizing bandits, insurgents, fundamentalists, and foreign intruders.
Akume also acknowledged the rehabilitation of captured and surrendered insurgents in line with international human rights rules. Other presentations at the event focused on strengthening recovery and peace-building processes in Northeast Nigeria.
