By Jutha Gupah Maiduguri
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has yesterday disclosed that the police are to establish an Explosive Ordinance Training School in Maiduguri, Borno state. The school is to train more personnel to address life-threatening issues relating to explosive ordinance handling and safe detonations. Idris disclosed this on Friday in Maiduguri, during an emergency operational visit to Borno state. Borno and the neighbouring states of Adamawa and Yobe had been facing Boko Haram insurgency for about nine years with Boko Haram multiple suicide bombings and blasts that claimed many lives and property. His words: “The idea of establishing this school was to overcome the challenges of explosive ordinance handling and safe detonations in the front lines of counter-insurgency and terrorism operations in the Northeast. “The school is to groom more personnel to deal with issues relating to explosive ordinances handling, within and outside the country.” While addressing police officers and men yesterday, the police chief said that, the Force is also rebuilding and re-equipping the Police Mobile Training School at Limankara village, of Gwoza council area of Borno state. He said the police have already deployed additional police sniffer dogs to assist the men protecting the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and the Muna-Garage area, which had faced incessant suicide bombing attacks. Idris commended the dedication and loyalty of policemen, and urged them to do more for the security and harmony in Borno and the Northeast region. Commissioner of Police in Borno state, Damian Chukwu also identified some of the problems facing the command to include, accommodation and transit camps for personnel on transfer, and on special duty. According to him, inadequate work equipment and allowances of the policemen are among other problems facing the command. On how to secure schools, he said: “Adequate deployment of policemen has been made for schools, IDP Camps, and other vulnerable locations across the state.”
