The federal government plans to establish civilian demining teams to address threats from explosive devices and landmines in communities, Defence Minister Christopher Musa announced at the National Mine Action Stakeholders Workshop in Abuja.
ENigeria Newspaper gathered that the teams will include retired military personnel, security veterans, civilians, youths, and medical professionals.
Musa explained that the model will allow practical knowledge transfer: “A retired combat engineer working alongside a young civilian trainee can pass on critical field experience, ensuring sustainability of expertise. At the same time, the inclusion of civilians fosters trust within affected communities, encouraging the team to come forward for assistance and recruitment.”
“When communities understand the risks and know how to respond, this step can be drastically improved. Ultimately, our collective effort must restore hope and normalcy,” Musa said, highlighting the humanitarian and security importance of the initiative.
“We must envision a Nigeria where children can walk to school without fear, where farmers can safely return to their land, and where communities can rebuild without the legal threat of explosive remnants of war.”
The minister stressed the dangers of unexploded devices in insurgency-affected areas.
“In several communities in the northeast, farmland that once sustained families is now abandoned because it is suspected to be contaminated. Similarly, children walking to school or playing in open fields unknowingly face life-threatening danger like the video we saw. These are non-distant possibilities. They are real. Every day risk is paid by our citizens,” he said.
He also urged mine-clearance education, noting, “A simple awareness campaign in the village can make the difference between life and death.”
“Countries that have successfully cleared mine territories have combined community engagement with advanced protection technologies, an approach we must adapt to our local context.”
Edwin Faigmane, a representative of the UN Mine Action Service, reiterated the UN’s backing for Nigeria in carrying out Article 5 of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
The workshop, according to ECOWAS representative Abayomi Adeomi, showed a strong national commitment to addressing one of the region’s most urgent security and humanitarian issues.
