Kareem Abdulrahman
Police operatives in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno have recovered eight unexploded ordnance (UXOs), authorities said Saturday, and assuring the public of their safety while urging vigilance.
The recoveries followed distress calls after residents of Dala-Abuja Talakawa area of Maiduguri, the state capital, discovered unidentified objects near an uncompleted building on Friday, 22 November 2024, at about 8:43am, Borno State Police Command said in a statement.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Base 13 team swiftly responded, safely retrieving six projectiles and an unexploded mortar bomb, said the statement released by Deputy Public Relations Officer ASP Grace Michael.
However, later, at about 1pm, a similar report from the Gwange area led the EOD-CBRN team to recover an unexploded hand grenade along the riverbank.
According to Grace, all items were relocated to a secure facility for safe disposal.
The police statement commended the residents for their prompt reporting and emphasised the importance of vigilance.
“The safety of the public remains our utmost priority. We encourage everyone to report suspicious items or activities to law enforcement immediately,” Ms Michael stated.
The Borno State Police Command also reminded the public to avoid handling suspicious objects and to maintain caution in areas with a history of military or insurgent activity.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the ordnance were displaced and washed ashore by recent devastating floods in the state,” the police said.
“The police command has since conducted Explosive Ordnance Risk Awareness (EORE) training for residents of both communities, educating them on safety measures.”
The state Commissioner of Police CP Yusufu Mohammed Lawal reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring public safety.