DHQ, ICRC begin training to identify soldiers killed in combat

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The Defence Headquarters, in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross, on Monday launched a specialised Battlefield Mortuary Affairs Programme to improve the identification, recovery and dignified management of soldiers killed in combat.

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The week-long training, holding at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna, from July 27 to August 1, has participants drawn from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force.

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Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Director, Defence Identification Centre, Air Commodore Chukwuma Ohanele, described the programme as a landmark initiative designed to address the growing challenges associated with battlefield deaths amid the increasing tempo of military operations across the country.

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He said the initiative, organised in collaboration with the ICRC, would equip participants with the knowledge and skills required for military personnel identification and the dignified management of the dead.

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Ohanele said, “This programme, running from July 27 to August 1, is a landmark initiative borne out of the collaboration between Defence Headquarters and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The training will deal with issues and challenges of military personnel identification and dignified management of the dead.

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“With the high tempo of operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria, battlefield deaths and their associated challenges have become inevitable. Experts drawn from the ICRC and the Armed Forces of Nigeria will address these challenges. The importance of this training cannot be overstated.”

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He described the management of the dead in conflict situations as both a humanitarian and moral responsibility.

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“In the complex realities of modern conflict, the management of the dead is not only a technical responsibility but also a moral and humanitarian obligation. This innovative programme has been carefully designed to strengthen our capacity in this sensitive area, ensuring that our Armed Forces uphold the highest standards of professionalism, accountability and respect for human dignity,” he said.

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According to him, participants will undergo practical and theoretical sessions on search and recovery operations, Explosive Ordnance Disposal awareness, establishment of mortuary collection points, cursory examination of remains, respectful storage, transportation and repatriation of human remains, as well as temporary burials and cemetery creation.

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He added that the programme would also expose participants to the humanitarian role of the ICRC and the legal frameworks governing battlefield mortuary affairs, including international humanitarian law and Nigerian military doctrine.

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“The training will involve indoor and outdoor exercises, as well as assessment tests, ensuring that participants not only understand the principles but can apply them effectively in operational contexts,” Ohanele added.

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The deputy director commended the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, for approving the initiative and acknowledged the contributions of the Defence Headquarters, Defence Identification Centre, the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, the Regiment Training School and the ICRC.

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The Commandant, Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, Air Vice Marshal Anthony Ekpe, described the training as timely, noting that troops were sometimes killed in gruesome circumstances that made the identification of bodies or body parts difficult.

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He said, “In these operations, we lose personnel, sometimes in gruesome circumstances that make it very difficult to identify them or even identify their body parts. That is why this training has become very essential and has come at the right time.

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“At least some of our colleagues can be properly identified, and that will give closure to their families and allow them to be laid to rest with dignity.”

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Ekpe thanked the Defence Headquarters and the ICRC for choosing the institution to host the training and urged participants from the three services to take the programme seriously.

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Also speaking, the ICRC Forensic Manager, Dr Habib El TaKach, said the programme was the outcome of engagements that began in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2024.

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He described it as the first training of its kind, saying it would improve the identification of soldiers killed in conflict, reduce the number of missing persons and provide families with answers about the fate of their loved ones.

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TaKach explained that the identification process involved proper planning, recovery of remains, transportation and meticulous documentation, including photographs, videos and biological samples.

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“All these steps are essential in helping us successfully identify the deceased and provide closure to their families,” he said.

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The Battlefield Mortuary Affairs Programme is expected to strengthen the Armed Forces’ operational readiness by promoting internationally accepted standards in the identification, recovery and dignified handling of personnel killed during military operations.

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