Police defuse 67 improvised explosives in Bama barracks

Borno commences rebuilding of town

Operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Unit of the Nigeria Police in Borno State have defused 67 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) buried by suspected Boko Haram insurgents at the military barracks in Bama.

The state’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Damian Chukwu, who disclosed this to journalists at the weekend during an interactive session, said that soldiers discovered the explosives, when the town was liberated, and informed the police, who later detonated the devices to pave the way for continued renovation of the barracks.

Meanwhile, towards rebuilding Bama destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in 2014, the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) has deployed 1,000 environmental vanguards to clear 34 streets of the town.

The Sole Administrator of BOSEPA, Alhaji Nasiru Surundi, said this was to fast-track the reconstruction process by the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (MRRR).

His words: “We came here to Bama with 1,000 vanguards along with 15 trucks. And at the same time, we are now planning to re-enforce our vanguards because of the magnitude of work within the affected township.

“It is beyond the capacity of our workers and we do not want to stay longer here in Bama. I assure you that in the next two weeks, Bama will change for the return of IDPs.”

In another development, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has charged policemen, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS) on securing Bama town to pave the way for complete reconstruction of destroyed houses, shops and public buildings.

Addressing policemen and other security personnel at the weekend at the Emir’s place at Bama, Shettima said that the deployed security personnel should “co-operate and work closely” with the Nigerian Army to secure the town until the reconstruction processes are completed.

He said: “We are all pursuing the same goal. We have the same mission. You should not be in conflict with the aims and objectives of the Nigerian Armed Forces. There should be no fight or friction between the security agencies and the military.”

Commenting on the current efforts of the police to ensure civil stability in the liberated areas, the CP said police personnel have been deployed in strategic locations in Maiduguri metropolis and in all the local council headquarters of the liberated areas.

“We are making arrangements to move our men there ahead of the restoration of civil authorities in the area. In most of the local councils liberated by the military, we have returned displaced persons from Maiduguri to their local council headquarters because their homes have been destroyed and they can go back to their homes until they have been rebuilt.”

Shettima further said: “We are going to give each and everyone of you allowance of N20,000 for October and November. This will not prevent me from further assisting all of you here in securing the town from insurgents.

“Each security personnel deployed to secure Bama will have three square meals a day until the reconstruction and rebuilding of destroyed houses and other property are completed.

“We are united by our common heritage of insecurity and poverty; as some of the policemen are poor and even without owning their houses while protecting people’s lives and property.”