A boy in the Farm Centre of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, who accidentally detonated an explosive device while playing with it, was killed on Monday with others injured.
The injured, including members of the boy’s family, were near the point of the incident, a humanitarian worker at the camp said, adding that the injured were taken to the hospital.
The camp manager could not be reached to speak on the development as his telephone line was switched off.
Unexploded ordinance and improvised explosive devices continue to pose a risk to Internally displaced persons and returnees to communities ravaged by the conflict in northeastern Nigeria.
In April, the United Nations Mine Action Service, UNMAS, received a donation of 236, 363 dollars from the Government of Japan for life-saving assistance to civilians and humanitarian actors from landmines of an improvised nature, explosive remnants of war and other improvised explosive devices through mine action in the region.
Abdulaziz Mala, founder of Swift Relief Foundation and Convener, Northeast Forum, said extensive awareness was needed in camps, adding that security forces should improve security and screening of people.
Mala also urged the government to demine areas before people could be allowed to return.
Also, UNMAS stated on its website that “In 2020, and after 10 years of violent conflict, explosive devices continue to put millions of people at risk of death and injuries in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. From January, 2019, to April 30, 2020, 745 civilian and non- civilian fatalities and casualties have been recorded.”
The organisation added that the presence of the explosive devices did not only endanger the lives of the population and hampered return to normal life, but also hampered humanitarian access and recovery efforts.
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