Unexploded War Munitions Continue To Endanger Southeast Communities, Experts Warn
The Lingering Shadow of War: Unexploded Bombs Still Lurking in Nigeria
MORE than five decades after the end of the Nigerian Civil War, explosive remnants of the conflict continue to pose a persistent and unresolved safety challenge across parts of the country.
According to explosives experts, over 1,600 live bombs recovered from former battlefields remain in storage facilities, creating an ongoing risk to communities in the South-East and other affected regions.
The Nigerian Civil War—also known as the Biafran War—was fought between the Federal Government and the secessionist Republic of Biafra between 1967 and 1970, leaving behind a vast and complex legacy of unexploded ordnance scattered across multiple states.
Stored Explosives and the Risk of Secondary Detonation
A bomb disposal specialist, Prof. Bala Yakubu, has warned that the stored munitions remain highly unstable.
He stated that the country currently holds about 1,600 active explosive devices recovered from the war, noting that any single detonation could trigger a chain reaction known as “sympathy detonation,” where nearby explosives ignite simultaneously.
According to him, these remnants of war do not degrade safely over time, making them a continuing hazard decades after the conflict ended.
He stressed that explosive remnants of war often outlast human lifespans, yet remain capable of causing sudden and severe destruction in civilian areas.
Storage Facilities and Calls for Urgent Disposal
Yakubu called for immediate government intervention to evacuate or destroy ordnance currently stored at the Mine Action Centre in Owerri, Imo State.
He explained that the explosives were recovered from former battlefields across the South-East, South-South, and parts of North-Central Nigeria, with recovery operations ongoing since 2015.
He further noted that previous clearance operations conducted under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua resulted in both fatalities and injuries among civilians and demining personnel during post-war remediation efforts.
Despite earlier efforts, Yakubu said repeated appeals to successive governments have not resulted in sustained funding or national-scale clearance operations.
Human Cost of Post-War Explosives
The expert’s account highlights a broader humanitarian impact linked to unexploded ordnance in Nigeria’s former war zones.
Field operations conducted over the years reportedly led to multiple casualties among civilians and demining teams, underscoring the dangers of handling unstable explosive materials long after conflict ends.
Between 2009 and 2012, clearance efforts reportedly removed hundreds of landmines and improvised explosive devices, including locally manufactured war remnants such as “Ogbunigwe” and other wartime munitions.
Yakubu warned that even aged and corroded explosives remain lethal and must be treated as active threats.
Environmental and Operational Challenges in Demining
Demining operations in affected regions have been slowed by difficult terrain, particularly in the South-East and South-South, where dense vegetation and heavy rainfall make detection and removal significantly more complex.
Specialists note that current equipment can detect the presence of explosives but cannot determine their exact depth, requiring manual excavation in hazardous conditions.
Funding constraints have also limited operations across an estimated contamination zone spanning hundreds of thousands of square kilometres.
Experts estimate that clearance costs run into billions, making sustained government support critical for full remediation.
Global Context: A Worldwide Unexploded Ordnance Crisis
The issue is not unique to Nigeria. Global data shows that dozens of countries remain contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance long after wars have ended.
Reports indicate that thousands of civilians are still killed or injured annually worldwide, with children among the most affected.
Countries such as Vietnam, Syria, France, and Belgium continue to record casualties linked to remnants of past wars, highlighting the long-term nature of explosive contamination.
In many conflict zones, unexploded ordnance continues to affect agriculture, settlement expansion, and environmental safety due to soil and groundwater contamination.
A Call for National Action
Experts argue that Nigeria’s remaining unexploded ordnance must be urgently addressed to prevent future loss of life.
For Prof. Yakubu and other specialists, the central warning remains clear: without coordinated national action, decades-old explosives may continue to claim lives in communities that have long moved beyond the war.
Observers say the situation represents a lingering post-conflict challenge that requires renewed political will and sustained investment.
