The IANSA Women Network Nigeria has expressed deep concern over the escalating toll of landmines on civilians in Nigeria and across conflict-affected countries, warning that recent global retreats from the 25-year-old Mine Ban Treaty threaten to worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Country Representative, Dr. Mimidoo Achakpa, said the findings of the newly released Landmine Monitor 2025 report present a grim reality, as five countries take “a dangerous step away” from the internationally accepted norm that prohibits the use of antipersonnel mines.

According to the report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), 6,279 people were killed or injured globally in 2024, the highest annual figure since 2020. Civilians accounted for 90 percent of the casualties, nearly half of them children.

“This year’s report reinforces what communities already know too well, that landmines continue to claim lives long after conflicts end,” Achakpa said.

“The world cannot afford a reversal of commitments now. Nigeria’s experience shows that every landmine casualty is a human tragedy that ripples through families and communities,” she added.

The report shows that Nigeria continues to record significant casualties, particularly in the Northeast. At least 418 civilians were killed or injured in 2024 across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa due to landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and explosive remnants of war (ERW) linked to Boko Haram and ISWAP.

From August 2024 to January 2025, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) recorded an additional 101 victims in seven high-risk local government areas. These casualties often occur on rural roads, farmlands, and return routes, with farmers, transport workers, traders, displaced persons and children most affected.

One of the deadliest incidents was the landmine explosion along the Maiduguri, Damboa road, which killed at least eight passengers. Such incidents, Achakpa said, illustrate how explosive hazards continue to restrict movement, disrupt livelihoods and obstruct humanitarian assistance.

The 163-page report warns of a dangerous erosion of international commitment. Five states, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, have communicated their withdrawal from the Mine Ban Treaty, while Ukraine has attempted to suspend its obligations, despite treaty rules disallowing such action.

“This is the first time in the treaty’s history that multiple states have stepped back so quickly,” said Mark Hiznay, Landmine Monitor editor for ban policy. “The evidence shows that once mines are used, it takes decades and enormous resources to clear contaminated land.”

The report also documents continued use and production of antipersonnel mines by Russia and Myanmar, and indications of new use by Ukraine and allegations involving Cambodian forces. The United States further undermined the norm in 2024 by transferring antipersonnel mines to Ukraine, ending a 32-year moratorium on exports.

The network worried that despite increased casualties, donor support is declining sharply. Funding for victim assistance fell by almost 25 percent in 2024, representing just 5 percent of global mine action funding. The situation worsened in early 2025 after the United States, formerly the largest donor, froze foreign assistance and terminated several humanitarian mine action programs.

“Behind each statistic is a family and a community still living with the consequences of landmines,” said Ruth Bottomley, Monitor editor for mine action funding. “The decline in funding for victim assistance is alarming and must be urgently reversed.”

Despite the challenges, the report highlights progress. More than half of affected States Parties reduced their contamination levels in 2024, and 31 countries have completed clearance, with Oman joining the list in 2025. The recent accession of the Marshall Islands and Tonga brings the total number of States Parties to 166, representing 85 percent of the world’s countries.

“The Mine Ban Treaty remains a powerful instrument, and its principles must be actively defended,” said Tamar Gabelnick, Director of ICBL. “Governments must prevent further departures and reinforce the global commitment to end the suffering caused by landmines.” Achakpa echoed the call, urging the Nigerian government, civil society, and international partners to remain steadfast.

“We cannot allow decades of progress to unravel. Women, children, farmers, and entire communities continue to bear the heaviest burden. Upholding the Mine Ban Treaty is not just a policy matter, it is a humanitarian imperative.”

The Landmine Monitor 2025 report was released on the opening day of the Twenty-Second Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva.