S’East Govs Get Knocks Over Landmines

Governors of the South Eastern states have not shown concern about removing unexploded mortar bombs buried in trenches in war affected states.

Mr Bala Yakubu, the founder of a humanitarian group, made the allegation on Monday while speaking with the newsmen in Umuahia.

Yakubu spoke after two mortar bombs were discovered in a trench at Senior Secondary Technical School, Afara, in Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state.

 ”It is regrettable that while governors in other zones affected by the war had shown serious concern on the matter, the south- east governors where the war took place feel unconcerned.

“It is sad to note that 658 persons, including those in Oji River area, who encountered these unexploded landmines during farm work, had been rendered invalid by the bombs and this is more disheartening as most of the victims do not know anything about the war.

“The one we removed in Imo was 800 metres from the governor’s house, yet he was not touched,” he said.

Yakubu noted that the UN was sincere about the project and would want the victims to be resettled “because they are victims of circumstances owing to what they did not know’’, he said

“Limbs of Hope, an NGO based in Canada are showing serious commitment to this project; the three tiers of government need to reciprocate.

“Victims’ assistance is under the federal government and the rule is that they be enumerated and their number sent to UN through government agencies.

“The federal government has not done anything about the data concerning the 658 victims that we sent to them since January, ‘’he said.

According to him,, the bombs were very dangerous and have the capacity to go more than 3.5 km in 16 seconds from the point it was fired and anybody within 800 metres radius would be killed by it.

Nigeria is a signatory to the Ottawa Convention which placed total ban on the use of landmines in wars.

The UN requires member states to destroy all landmines buried in the ground in all states that had fought wars.