Police, DTRA, ONSA strengthen capacity against weapons of mass destruction

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has strengthened its capacity to prevent, detect, investigate and respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) as well as explosive threats through a strategic partnership with the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The initiative culminated in the final phase of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) Curriculum Development Workshop for personnel of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Command. The workshop, hosted by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Command, CP Hauwa Ibrahim, followed a series of Train-the-Trainers programmes designed to institutionalise a national C-WMD curriculum across participating security agencies.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Operations, DIG Umar Shehu Nadada, described the programme as a strategic investment in the operational preparedness of the Force. He said the evolving nature of weapons of mass destruction threats requires security agencies to remain proactive, adequately trained and prepared to respond effectively.

Nadada stressed the importance of sustained inter-agency cooperation and international partnerships in tackling emerging security threats. He commended DTRA, whose delegation was led by Major Brittany Brown, and ONSA, represented by a delegation led by Mrs Pamela West, for providing technical expertise and supporting knowledge transfer to enhance the capacity of police personnel to protect lives and critical national infrastructure.

The DIG urged participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the programme and transfer them to other personnel within the Force. He said integrating the C-WMD curriculum into the training framework of the EOD-CBRN Command would help ensure sustained preparedness and improve the operational effectiveness of officers in responding to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents.

The EOD-CBRN Command also reaffirmed its commitment to incorporating the curriculum into the Nigeria Police Force training system. It expressed hope for continued collaboration with strategic partners in specialised equipment, technical assistance and advanced capacity building, as the Force intensifies efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against emerging security threats.