The Nigeria Police Force has finished training the members of its Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit in advance of the general election in 2023.

The training included established procedures for safe explosives disposal and preventive measures ahead of the general elections, as approved by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, according to Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

He said it is part of the IGP’s vision to ensure strategic and timely training and retraining of police officers, particularly those with dynamic specializations.

He recalled that, “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 EO”.

The devices include Thermo Scientific RIIDEye, Viken Detection Nighthawk, Thermo Scientific FirstDefender, Pack Eye Back Pack Radiation Detectors, Electronic Control Measure Frequency Jammers, and F3 Mine Lab-Deep Mine Detectors.

“The IGP, therefore, assures 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”, he said.

The IGP also instructed Commissioners of Police and their respective supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in the 17 Zonal Commands to regularly communicate with the military and other security agencies that are recognized members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security 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 (ICCES).

He claimed that doing so would help to reinforce the operation order cum deployment plans already in place in preparation for the orderly and peaceful execution of the 2023 General Elections.