LM Report 2000

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NIGERIA

Key developments since March 1999: Since a new democratic government took office in May 1999, top government and military leaders have stated that Nigeria will soon accede to the Mine Ban Treaty.

Mine Ban Policy

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the only country in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sixteen-member regional group that has not signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Since a new democratic government took office in May 1999 after more than fifteen years of military rule, there have been several indications that Nigeria will soon accede to the treaty.

In September 1999, Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams and a delegation from a Workshop on Mine Action met with the Vice President of Nigeria, Hon. Atiku Mohammed, who assured the delegation that Nigeria would join the treaty “very soon.”^[1] About sixty participants attended the workshop, including representatives from Nigeria’s Armed Forces and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[2] In June 2000 the Minister of Defense, retired Lt. Gen. T. Y. Danjumah, told participants at a Conference on International Humanitarian Law that “the only realistic solution is a total ban” on AP mines, and went on to state that it is “only a question of time before Nigeria becomes party to the treaty.”^[3] Dr. Sola Ogunbanwo, the President’s Special Envoy on Disarmament, told Landmine Monitor in June 2000 that “we will see some positive movement soon.”^[4] On 26 July 2000, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson confirmed that the process for acceding to the Mine Ban Treaty “was in progress,” but refused to give a time frame.^[5]

At the end of the September 1999 workshop, NGO participants decided to establish a “Focus Group on Landmines in Nigeria” that would include in its activities advocacy for the government to join the Mine Ban Treaty. The Nigerian Red Cross Society has also acknowledged the “great need to sensitise the government and the general public about the excessive effects of antipersonnel landmines....”^[6]

Nigeria did not attend the First Meeting of States Parties in Maputo in May 1999. It participated in the September 1999 meeting of the Standing Committee of Experts on Victim Assistance. In December 1999, Nigeria voted for UN General Assembly Resolution 54/54B urging universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. It had previously voted for pro-ban UNGA resolutions in 1996 and 1998. Nigeria is not a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons. It is a member of the Conference on Disarmament, but has not been vocal on the issue of possible negotiations on a mine export ban in the CD.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use

Nigeria is not known to have produced or exported AP mines. It is believed to have a stockpile of antipersonnel mines, procured in the past from the former Czechoslovakia, former Soviet Union, former Yugoslavia, France, and U.K.^[7] Asked about stocks, the Chief of Operations of the Nigerian Army, Major General Yellow Duke, told participants of the Conference on International Humanitarian Law to “wait until Nigeria accedes then we will be obliged to tell you about that.”^[8]

Landmines were used during the 1967-70 (Biafra) civil war but a senior Nigerian army officer explained that AP mines “were used sparingly because we knew that this was a war between brothers and we were conscious of the need to minimise deaths and injuries.”^[9] A retired general of the Nigerian Army claims that the Army cleared all of its AP mines after the war.^[10] The Biafra rebels also used a home-made device. Nigerian military officers allege that injuries to civilians after the war were caused by these devices known as “Ogonigwe.”^[11]

[1] “Report on Nigeria workshop on AP Mines, September 1999.” Circulated to ICBL email network by ICBL Coordinator, 1 October 1999.
[2] Abuja Workshop on Mine Action, organized by London-based Africa Topics magazine, and the Nigerian-based Centre for Civil Initiatives and the Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peace Advocacy, 6-8 September 1999.
[3] Opening address to the Conference on International Humanitarian Law: Mines, Arms Availability and New Weapons, organized by the ICRC Regional Office in Nigeria and the Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peace Advocacy, Abuja, 14-15 June 2000.
[4] Interview with Dr. Sola Ogunbanwo, President’s Special Envoy on Disarmament, Abuja, 15 June 2000.
[5] Human Rights Watch telephone interview, Spokesperson for International Organisations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, 26 July 2000.
[6] Notes taken by Landmine Monitor researcher of statement by Alhaji (Dr.) Shehu Musa, President, Nigerian Red Cross Society, to the Conference on International Humanitarian Law, Abuja, 14 June 2000.
[7] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 202-203.
[8] Notes taken by Landmine Monitor researcher of statement by Major General Yellow-Duke, Chief of Operations, Nigerian Army, to Conference on International Humanitarian Law, 14 June 2000.
[9] Interview with Major General Yellow-Duke, Chief of Operations, Nigerian Army, Abuja, 15 June 2000.
[10] Interview with retired Major General Charles B. Ndiomu, Provost, Centre for Peace Research and Conflict Resolution, National War College, Abuja, 14 June 2000.
[11] Interview with retired Major General Charles B. Ndiomu, National War College, Abuja, 14 June 2000.