The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, says about 1.2 million people are at risk of explosive mines in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Speaking at the 2022 International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, Mr Schmale of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said that 1.2 million people needed lifesaving assistance in the three states.

He said those at risk were identified during the UN agency’s 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview process.

Mr Schmale noted that explosive ordnance in their different forms continued to represent immediate, grave and additional threat to already suffering populations in Northeast Nigeria.

He said the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) collated 1,532 incidents in the region involving explosive hazards from January 2016 to January 2022, involving more than 10,000 casualties.

He added that about 1,356 civilians were injured and 789 killed from the number of casualties recorded.

Mr Schmale said that in January 2019, mine action organisations provided critical life-saving information to mitigate the risk of explosive ordnance by educating more than 1.2 million Nigerians in conflict-affected communities.

He added that the UN was pursuing efforts to deliver life-saving assistance to affected populations and encourage the development of a nationally-owned and coordinated response to reinforce Nigerian capacities.

“More than 300 Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) frontline officers in Borno were trained in first aid and emergency trauma bag handling for national security services providers.

“In 2022, 12 personnel of the police will become IED disposal trainers.

“Another 12 first aid trainers and 80 personnel of the National Emergency Management Agency, states Emergency Management Agencies, the NSCDC and Civil Society Organisation have completed a training of trainers on explosive ordnance risk education,” he said.

In his remarks, Sadeeq Shehu, technical adviser to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, said IEDs were discovered in eight public places in the region.

(NAN)