The United Nations is considering supporting the establishment of specialised counter–Improvised Explosive Device (IED) units in Nigeria as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s capacity to combat the increasing use of explosive devices by terrorist groups. The plan was disclosed on Wednesday during a Counter-IED workshop held in Abuja and organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre in collaboration with the United Nations Mine Action Service and the British High Commission.
Speaking during the workshop, the Chief of Mine Action Programme at the United Nations Mine Action Service, Edwin Faigmane, explained that the initiative is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s national capacity to address the threats posed by improvised explosive devices to civilians, security personnel and critical infrastructure.
According to him, the UN had already begun working closely with Nigerian authorities to develop counter-IED strategies and improve operational capabilities in line with international standards, noting that the effort represents part of a broader international collaboration to support Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and enhance its technical capacity to detect, neutralise and dispose of explosive threats deployed by insurgent groups.
Faigmane explained that the programme began in 2024 with an operational assessment of explosive ordnance disposal and IED capabilities within the Nigeria Police Force, a process designed to evaluate existing expertise, equipment and operational readiness within the country’s security architecture. He added that experts from the UN headquarters in New York, United States, as well as the organisation’s mobile training team based in Entebbe, Uganda, had been deployed to provide technical expertise, share operational experience and support the development of Nigeria’s counter-IED framework.
According to him, the initiative has also involved capacity-building programmes aimed at equipping Nigerian security personnel with specialised skills required for detecting and neutralising explosive threats. These training efforts, supported by the governments of the United Kingdom and Japan, have included courses on explosive hazard awareness, search operations and improvised explosive device disposal. Providing an update on the progress made so far, Faigmane stated, “At the end of the eight-month training period, we now have 15 qualified IED and conventional munitions disposal officers and 25 search-qualified officers.”
He further explained that the next phase of the initiative would focus on strengthening operational structures within Nigerian security agencies to ensure that the newly trained personnel are effectively deployed in counter-IED operations. Faigmane said that once additional equipment arrives, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will be able to establish specialised search and IED disposal teams in 2026.
“What do we want to do in 2026? When equipment for search and CMD/IED teams arrives, the NPF and the NSDC, under the Nigerian government, will have the capacity to form two search teams and two IED disposal teams. We will need to review the SOPs, which will take place next week, and then provide mentoring once the teams become operational. My request here is that the NPF and NSCDC utilise these trained officers and deploy them,” he said. Faigmane emphasised that effective deployment of the trained officers would be essential to building a sustainable national counter-IED capability, adding that the trained personnel could also work in collaboration with military units engaged in counter-terrorism operations across the country.
Also speaking at the workshop, the Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj Gen Adamu Laka, highlighted the growing threat posed by improvised explosive devices during counter-terrorism operations, particularly in the North-East and North-West regions of Nigeria where insurgent groups have increasingly relied on explosive devices as a weapon of choice. He explained that the methods used by insurgents to deploy and detonate IEDs have continued to evolve over time, making the threat more complex and difficult to counter.
“From 2011 to 2017, I saw how the use of IEDs in the Northeast evolved. It moved from wire control and telephone control to pressure plates. Each time one method of activating an IED was addressed, the insurgents found new ways to improve how they detonated it,” Laka said. He added that insurgents have in some cases adopted more sophisticated tactics, including layering explosive devices in ways that make them even more dangerous for security personnel attempting to neutralise them. “I can tell you that the effect is devastating. To this day, Nigeria is still facing this threat,” he said.
Laka further noted that the impact of IED attacks goes beyond the casualties suffered by security personnel and extends to wider socio-economic consequences for communities affected by insurgency. According to him, the persistent threat posed by explosive devices has disrupted farming activities in several rural communities, restricted humanitarian access to vulnerable populations, displaced thousands of residents and weakened investor confidence in areas affected by the violence. He stressed that strengthening national counter-IED capabilities remains critical to addressing these challenges and ensuring stability in regions affected by insurgent activities.
The First Secretary at the British High Commission, Annup Vyas, reaffirmed the commitment of the United Kingdom to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to tackle the threat of improvised explosive devices through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership. According to Vyas, the ongoing collaboration reflects a shared interest in addressing security challenges that threaten lives, communities and national stability. “The threat from improvised explosive devices is ongoing and deeply damaging to lives, communities and stability,” Vyas said. She explained that the workshop was organised to enable Nigerian authorities and international partners to assess existing capabilities, identify operational gaps and develop a structured plan for strengthening national counter-IED responses.
Similarly, the Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, Maj Gen Shamsideen Shafaru, emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration among Nigeria’s security agencies in addressing the threat posed by explosive devices used by insurgent groups. He noted that improvised explosive devices have become one of the most adaptable and dangerous weapons used by hostile elements across various operational theatres.
“Improvised Explosive Devices remain one of the most potent and adaptive weapons employed by hostile elements across multiple operational theatres. Countering this threat requires a unified, intelligence-driven and capability-focused approach involving all relevant stakeholders,” he said. Nigeria has faced a persistent threat from improvised explosive devices deployed by terrorist groups, particularly in the North-East and North-West regions where insurgents have continued to refine their tactics, making the devices increasingly sophisticated and deadly.
The proposed establishment of specialised counter-IED units, supported by international partners, is therefore seen as a crucial step toward strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to detect, neutralise and prevent explosive threats while enhancing the overall effectiveness of ongoing counter-terrorism operations.