...Helped Train Some Nigerian Police Officers.
The
United States Department of State on Tuesday in Abuja donated bomb disposal
equipment to the Nigeria Police Force.
According
to a statement on Wednesday signed by Deputy Force Public Relations Officer,
Frank Mba, the donation is in accordance with U.S. efforts at strengthening
capacity of the Nigeria Police personnel to tackle terrorism and other
contemporary security challenges in Nigeria.
Explosives
Ordinance Disposal (EOD) remote control robots are capable of carrying out safe
detonation of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and can demobilise
explosives-laden vehicles among others.
Demonstrating
the capacity of the donated robots to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed
Abubakar, a Nigeria Police EOD robot technician stated that the device can
locate and defuse suspicious and hazardous explosive items from remote places
and is also capable of firing “disrupters” and delivering counter IED charges
that can demobilise and render an IED safe.
Mr.
Abubakar promised to put the robots to effective use across the country. He
enjoined other wealthy countries, individuals, as well as corporate
organisations to take a cue from this United States’ gesture and join hands in
supporting the police and other security agencies in the fight against crime.
He said the task of securing Nigeria is a collective responsibility and not that
of the government alone.
He
also admonished police officers, especially those in the EOD unit, to take advantage
of the equipment just donated and others recently acquired by the Force in
delivering on their mandate of making Nigeria a crime and explosives-free
nation.
Also,
the U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Anti Terrorism Assistance (ATA)
Programme, has succeeded in training a number of Nigeria Police personnel
attached to the Anti Bomb Unit of the Force in modern bomb disposal techniques
and explosives investigation courses.