Recovered Items Include Mortar Bombs, Projectiles, and Grenade
The Borno State Police Command has successfully recovered eight unexploded ordnances (UXOs) from the Dala and Gwange areas in Maiduguri, the state capital. The discovery follows distress calls reporting suspicious items in flood-affected areas.
Explosive Materials Found in Dala and Gwange Areas
In a statement released on Saturday, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Michael, detailed the incidents.
“On 22/11/2024, at about 0843 hrs, the Borno State Police Command received a distress call about some unidentified objects/items suspected to be explosive ordnance seen clustered near an uncompleted building in Dala-Abuja Talakawa Area, Maiduguri,” the statement read.
The Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) unit swiftly responded, recovering six projectiles and one unexploded mortar bomb from the scene.
Later that day, another report emerged from the Gwange area regarding an unidentified object on the riverbank. The EOD-CBRN team moved to the location and retrieved one unexploded hand grenade.
Floods Likely Responsible for Ordnance Movement
Preliminary investigations suggest that the ordnance may have been carried into residential areas by recent floods in the region. The devastating flood incident, reported in September, displaced over 414,000 residents and claimed at least 30 lives.
Police Assure Public Safety
Borno State Commissioner of Police, CP Yusufu Lawal, reassured residents of the command’s ongoing commitment to safety and security. He urged the public to report any suspicious items or activities promptly.
Background: The Flood’s Aftermath
The floods that ravaged Maiduguri earlier this year affected nearly one million people, leaving behind destruction and exposing potential dangers, such as unexploded ordnance, in their wake. Authorities are on high alert to address the lingering consequences of the disaster.
