Army seeks collaboration with north-east stakeholders against IEDs

The Nigerian Army has sought for a synergy with stakeholders in the north-east to contain the threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

NAN reports that Abubakar Haruna, acting general officer commanding (GOC) 7 Division, made the call during a counter-IEDs awareness seminar in Maiduguri on Friday.

Haruna, who also serves as the commander of sector 1, joint task force Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), highlighted that the exercise aims to counter the use of IEDs.

He noted the importance of “reawakening the people’s security consciousness to restrict terrorists’ freedom of action”.

The commander said insurgents “have increasingly turned to using vehicle and human-borne IEDs against soft targets”.

Haruna added that stakeholder contributions at the seminar would “not only bolster security in Maiduguri but also foster confidence and trust among the community”.

The GOC encouraged participants to offer valuable input and to share the seminar’s messages within their communities.

He commended Abdul-Razak Kazeem, commander of the 47 engineer brigade, for initiating the seminar.

The event featured presentations on IED materials, construction and networking, bomb recognition, and suicide bombing by various experts.

Attendees included army personnel, police officers, representatives from the Borno state ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), members of trade unions and associations.