The police are training officers in disposing of explosives

The Nigeria Police Force has completed the training of its officers attached to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear, The PUNCH reports.

The training, which discussed established protocols for safe disposal of explosives and preventive measures ahead of the 2023 general election, was endorsed by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, as part of his vision to ensure strategic , timely training and retraining of police officers, especially those with dynamic specializations.

The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Sunday.

Adejobi noted that following the completion of the training and quarterly conference of commanders and heads of EOD formations across the country, where the police commissioner in charge of the unit, Zannah Shettima, represented the IG, at the EOD annex, Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-Lagos State, there was the distribution of some contemporary gadgets donated by the United Nations Mine Action Service and the US Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence, and others obtained through the Special Intervention Fund of the IG to bases, sub-bases and other operational formations of the EOD.

The gadgets include pack eye backpack radiation detectors, electronic regularity frequency jammers, thermoscientific RIIDEye, viking detection nighthawk, thermoscientific first defender and F3 mine lab deep mine detectors.

While the IG reiterated the leadership and coordinating roles to be fulfilled by the NPF in Nigeria’s internal security architecture and election security management, it also instructed the CPs and their respective supervisory assistant IGs in the zonal commands to be in constant contact with the military and other security agencies who are recognized members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to strengthen the already designed order of operations and deployment strategies for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the 2023 general election.

The IG therefore assured that the NPF had taken steps in its proactivity to ensure that strategic locations were properly swept to prevent the importation of CBRN and high-yield explosives into public areas.

Similarly, EOD-CBRN personnel at all entrances and exits of the country have been alerted to be on alert to prevent the illegal importation of explosive materials.