UN, US Donate Anti-Mine, Bomb Detectors to Nigeria Police Ahead of General Elections

Ahead of this year’s general election, starting February 25, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and United States Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (US NSDD), have donated anti-mine, bomb detectors and bomb sweepers among other equipment to the Nigeria Police.

The gadgets included back pack radiation detectors, electronic control measure, frequency jammers, thermo scientific RIIDEye, viken detection nighthawk, thermo scientific first defender, and F3 mine lab-deep mine detectors and others designated to bases, sub-bases and other operational formations of Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) of the police.

Following the development, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, weekend, ordered the deployment of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) personnel at all entry and exit points of the country, who were put on alert in order to prevent the importation of explosive materials illegally.

He also ordered that measures be put in place to ensure proper sweeping of strategic locations to prevent the import of CBRN and high-yield explosives into public spaces.

A statement by Force Headquarters, said it concluded the training of its officers attached to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit.

It said the training, which discussed established protocols for safe explosives disposal and preventive measures ahead of the elections was approved by Baba, as part of his vision to ensure strategic and timely training and retraining of police officers, particularly, those with dynamic specialisations.

“At the conclusion of the training and quarterly conference of commanders and heads of EOD formations across the country which held at the EOD Annex Office, Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja-Lagos State, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Unit, CP Zannah Shettima, who represented the IG, supervised 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,” he said.

The statement said the IG assured the people that the Nigeria Police,  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 were put on alert to be eagle-eyed in order to prevent the importation of explosive materials illegally.

He also reiterated the leadership and coordinating roles the NPF were 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 recognised 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 election,” the statement stated.

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

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