Today we delivered more than 2,200 letter signatures to Kate Osamor MP, the Chair of the cross-party UK Parliamentary Group for Nigeria. The letter asks Ms Osamor to make a statement to the House of Commons, urgently calling for this new landmine crisis to be included as a humanitarian priority in international response planning.
Landmines and other unexploded bombs pose a daily threat in north-east Nigeria, killing or injuring 19 people every month there, with unreported accidents meaning the true figure is likely to be much higher.
Jeannette von Däniken, MAG's Programme Support Coordinator for the Sahel and West Africa, personally delivered the signatures.
“This is just the start of our campaign to ensure this new landmine crisis is dealt with and people’s lives are protected," Jeannette said. "MAG’s research highlights a serious issue in the region. It is shocking that families living with conflict are also living with the daily threat of landmines.”
Supporters up and down the UK added their voice to the campaign
MAG will continue to deliver life-saving education to children
MAG’s teams in north-east Nigeria are delivering risk education to children and their families throughout the three states most badly affected by the conflict with Boko Haram.
Risk education aims to reach the greatest possible number of people with potentially life-saving information on how to recognise, avoid and report threats such as landmines. This is particularly important for children and returning communities. By raising awareness of the threat and working directly with communities we can change behaviours, reducing the risk of death or injury.
MAG and other NGOs have reached over 680,000 women, girls, boys and men, in north-east Nigeria, the majority of whom are from communities displaced or affected directly by the violence.
What you can do now
You can still make a real difference to our work in north-east Nigeria by donating to our campaign.
A donation of £30 could give a whole classroom of children in Nigeria the knowledge they need to recognise explosives and what action to take, ensuring they live to tell the tale.
