by Usman Alabi
A truck conveying Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) ran into a landmine planted on a highway causing an explosion which injured some passengers.
The Internally Displaced Persons were being moved from Borno State capital, Maiduguri back to Gamboru-Ngala, a border community about 145km away, one of those liberated from Boko haram.
According to premium times, the incident occurred barely an hour after the military authority in Maiduguri officially Okayed the movement of over 200 cars and trucks conveying the returnee IDPs and food items to the liberated border community.
The NURTW Chairman, Bello Moduganari who confirmed the report to premium times said “We just received the sad news that one of the vehicles that we had cleared to move to Gamboru-Ngala ran into a landmine at Ngom Village, some 20km away from Maiduguri
“There is no report of death in the incident so far, but we have arranged to take the victims to the hospital here in Maiduguri
“We learnt the landmine was planted in the centre of the road and an unsuspecting Land cruiser jeep ran over it”, he said. The theatre commander of the operation ‘Lafiya Dole’, Lucky Irabor, had also informed journalists that the movement of persons and trucks through the routes leading to Gamboru was one of the most difficult tasks because of the dangers on the route.
You would recall that Ymonitor published an online conversation with the Northern governors in Washington organized by the US Institute of Peace. In the conversation, one of the issues that was thrown to the group was a question about what the Nigerian military is doing to detonate the landmines planted by the boko haram terrorists which are yet to explode. This is a critical issue especially in the light of a recent report that some IDPs are afraid to return home and to their farms for fear of unexploded landmines.
What best way do you think could be adopted to address this problem, should the Nigerian government invites international bodies or expert to detonate the mines. The issue is also complex given the expansiveness of the area involved.
Let us have your take on this matter.