NAF, Police EOD Team Train Special Forces on IED Detection in Bauchi
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Regiment Training Centre Annex (RTCA), Bauchi, in collaboration with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Bauchi State Command, has conducted a specialised training programme on Improvised Explosive Device (IED) identification for trainees of Special Forces Course 13/2026.
The exercise was designed to strengthen situational awareness, force protection skills, and operational effectiveness of personnel in responding to explosive threats within contemporary operational environments. It forms part of ongoing efforts to enhance the readiness of special forces operatives for deployment across diverse security theatres.
Speaking during the training, the Commandant of RTCA Bauchi, Squadron Leader Lawrence Akpan, said the programme aligns with the centre’s mandate of producing resilient and combat-ready personnel capable of operating in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments.
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He stressed the need for troops to acquire advanced tactical knowledge in detecting, identifying and safely responding to explosive devices during operations. According to him, such competencies are critical to improving survivability and mission success in counterterrorism and special operations.
Squadron Leader Akpan also noted that the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has consistently prioritised realistic training, operational adaptability and mission-oriented capacity development to ensure NAF personnel remain effective and decisive in the field.
During the practical sessions, trainees were exposed to various types of IEDs, threat indicators, and standard safety procedures applicable in combat situations. The Police EOD team conducted demonstrations on pressure-plate IED detonation mechanisms and provided detailed instruction on key explosive components, including initiators, charges, containers, power sources and switching systems.
The training offered participants operational insight into the design and functioning of explosive devices commonly encountered in the field, while reinforcing safety protocols required during counter-IED operations.
Officials said the collaboration underscores the growing importance of inter-agency cooperation in strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and improving coordinated responses to insurgency, terrorism and other asymmetric threats.
By PRNigeria
