The training which discussed established protocols for safe explosives disposal and preventive measures ahead of the 2023 general election was approved by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, as part of his vision to ensure strategic, timely training and retraining of police officers, particularly those with dynamic specialisations.
The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Sunday.
Adejobi noted that upon conclusion of the training and quarterly conference of commanders and heads of the EOD formations across the country, where the Commissioner of Police in charge of the unit, Zannah Shettima, represented the IG, 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, and United States Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence, and others procured 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 control measure frequency jammers, thermo-scientific RIIDEye, viken detection nighthawk, thermo-scientific first defender, and F3 mine lab-deep mine detectors.
While reiterating that 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 IG equally ordered CPs and their respective supervisory Assistant IGs in the zonal commands, to continually engage with the military and other security agencies that are recognised members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to solidify the already designed operation order cum deployment strategies emplaced towards the smooth and peaceful conduct of the 2023 general election.
The IG therefore assured that the NPF in its pro-activeness, had emplaced measures to ensure proper sweeping of strategic locations to prevent the import of the CBRN and high-yield explosives into public spaces.
Similarly, the 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.
