By Chimezie Godfrey
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has approved the continual training of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal-Chemical Biological Radiological, and Nuclear defence (EOD-CBRN) Command on the operation and maintenance of Mobile Detection System (MDS).
This was in conjunction with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the US Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Smuggling, Detection, and Deterrence (NSDD).
This led to the organization of a two weeks capacity building workshop for 30 EOD-CBRN officers, drawn from across the nation, recently in Lagos.
The fully-practical workshop, is part of the IGP’s continual effort at re-evaluating and re-strategizing performance levels in meeting its core objectives of safeguarding the country against internal security threats, especially with regards to capacity building of personnel in line with global best practices and standards, aims at providing training and equipping EOD-CBRN personnel in the operation of MDS equipment (vans and handheld devices); enhance the capacity of EOD-CBRN personnel in the detection of illicit trafficking of radioactive materials; enhance the secondary inspection techniques of officers; reposition and build the capacity of the NPF EOD Command, and to expand CBRN’s focus and area of responsibility in line with emerging threats.
The IGP equally noted that the EOD CBRN Command has received a total of 5 Mobile Detection System (MDS) vans, with 2 spare parts and maintenance kits; 3 Radio-isotope Identification Devices (RIDs), 3 PackEye Radiation Detection Backpacks; 3 Radiation Survey Meters; and 7 Sensor Technology Radiation Pagers.
The IGP has likewise ordered that the equipment be strategically deployed to sensitive and critical infrastructures and threatened areas in order to improve the nation’s nuclear security architecture in early detection, analysis and reporting of radioactive materials out of regulatory control.
The Inspector-General of Police, represented by the Commissioner of Police, EOD-CBRN, CP Zannah Shettima, psc, commended the laudable contribution of the US NSDD and assured that the skills and knowledge acquired will be put to good use in the collective fight against security threats, acts of terrorism and other criminal activities in the country.
