The Nigeria Police Force has effectively concluded the training of its officers attached to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit. The training, which discussed established protocols for safe explosives disposal and preventive measures ahead of the 2023 General Elections, was approved by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, CFR, as part of his vision to ensure strategic and timely training and retraining of police officers, particularly those with dynamic specializations.
Upon conclusion of the training and quarterly conference of Commanders and heads of EOD formations across the country, where the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Unit, CP Zannah Shettima, represented the IGP, at the EOD Annex Office, Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-Lagos State, there was the distribution of some contemporary gadgets donated by the United Nations’ Mine Action Service (UNMAS), and United States Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (US NSDD), and others procured through the Special Intervention Fund of the IGP to bases, sub-bases and other operational formations of EOD. The gadgets include Pack Eye Back Pack Radiation Detectors, Electronic Control Measure Frequency Jammers, Thermo Scientific RIIDEye, Viken Detection Nighthawk, Thermo Scientific FirstDefender, and F3 Mine Lab-Deep Mine detectors.
The IGP therefore, assured that the Nigeria Police Force in its proactiveness, has emplaced measures to ensure proper sweeping of strategic locations to prevent the import of CBRN and high-yield Explosives into public spaces. Similarly, EOD-CBRN personnel at all entry and exit points of the country have been put on alert to be eagle-eyed in order to prevent the importation of explosive materials illegally.
While reiterating the leadership and coordinating roles the NPF has been charged to carry out in the internal security architecture and election security management in Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police has equally ordered Commissioners of Police and their respective supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in the 17 Zonal Commands, to continually engage with the Military and other security agencies that are recognized members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to solidify the already designed operation order cum deployment strategies emplaced towards the smooth and peaceful conduct of the 2023 General Elections.