Police Recover Unexploded Ordnance in Niger State

The Niger State Police Command has recovered a suspected military unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Zugurma community, Mashegu Local Government Area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement issued in Minna on Tuesday. He said the recovery followed a report received on Monday from the Divisional Police Officer of Ibbi Division, Mashegu, after residents alerted authorities to an object believed to be a missile sighted in a nearby forest.

Abiodun explained that police operatives were immediately deployed to the location, where the area was cordoned off to safeguard residents. He added that the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Elleman, promptly ordered the deployment of additional personnel to the scene.

According to him, the command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) unit, led by CSP Mohammed Mamun, arrived at the site on Tuesday. With assistance from local residents and divisional operatives, the team was guided to the exact location of the object.

“The EOD team successfully rendered the device safe and recovered it into custody before conveying it to the State Police Headquarters in Minna,” Abiodun said.

He confirmed that the object was identified as a military unexploded ordnance, adding that its origin has not yet been determined. Investigations, he said, are ongoing and further details will be communicated to the public as they become available.

The police spokesperson also quoted the Commissioner of Police as urging residents to remain calm, assuring that security agencies are fully deployed to maintain safety and restore normalcy in the area and its environs.