DHQ and ICRC Launch Battlefield Mortuary Training Program

On July 27, 2023, the Defence Headquarters, in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), initiated a week-long Battlefield Mortuary Affairs Programme at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna, running until August 1. The training aims to enhance the identification, recovery, and dignified management of soldiers killed in combat, addressing the challenges posed by increasing military operations in Nigeria.

Air Commodore Chukwuma Ohanele, Deputy Director of the Defence Identification Centre, described the programme as a landmark initiative that equips participants from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force with essential skills for managing battlefield deaths. The training includes practical and theoretical sessions on search and recovery operations, Explosive Ordnance Disposal awareness, and the establishment of mortuary collection points, among other topics.

Ohanele emphasized the humanitarian and moral responsibilities involved in managing the dead in conflict situations, highlighting the importance of professionalism and respect for human dignity.