By Gbenga Akingbule
Commissioner of Police, Borno State Police Command, Yusufu M. Lawal, revealed on Tuesday that the devastating flooding that ravaged Maiduguri and Jere local councils has led to the discovery of buried explosives within the metropolis.
Gatekeepers News reports that the explosives were believed to have been buried by suspected Boko Haram terrorists who were forced to abandon Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and flee following a severe hit from joint security forces. A total of 18 unexploded IEDs were safely recovered, the police said.
CP Lawal made the disclosure during the end-of-year press briefing held at the Police Command Headquarters in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
“The phenomenal incidence of sighting unexploded ordnance in Borno State – preliminary investigations relate this to the recent flood incident in September that literally submerged half of Maiduguri.
“Most of the IEDs were buried as a result of the hit that the insurgents received from the military and other tactical commanders. The insurgents abandoned the IEDs and buried them. However, with the flooding, the IEDs are now being unearthed.
The Police Commissioner added that the last IED recovered was from a scrap metal scavenger in a densely populated Abuja Talakawa community within Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
“The scrap metal scavenger recovered the unexploded explosives from receding water along the river bank and put the IEDs in a bag. However, for some obvious reasons, he may have sensed danger before dropping the IEDs at Abuja Talakawa Community,” CP Lawal said.
The Police Commissioner commended the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, for taking proactive measures to ban scrap metal scavenging activities in the state.
The CP also revealed that adequate measures were employed by the police to ensure the safety of residents whenever an IED is discovered. Risk assessments and sensitization of residents have been carried out by the police.
“The first step in action when an unexploded ordnance is sighted is to cordon off the area and redirect traffic before inviting police EOD experts for safe recovery,” CP Lawal said.
The Borno Police Chief revealed that in 2024, the Command recorded major achievements in combating crime, leading to the arrest of 721 suspects for various offenses, including armed robbery, s3xual and gender-based violence (SGBV), kidnapping, theft, and other heinous crimes. The police also recovered 18 unexploded explosive devices and IEDs, 13 stolen vehicles and Keke Napep, six firearms, and a large cache of drugs and other substances.
He added that in 2025, “the Command will sustain robust and proactive policing to ensure that Maiduguri Metropolis and other major towns in the state remain safe and secured.”
