Former Director Operations of the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS), Raymond Nkemdirim, has expressed concern over the rising casualty figures among security operatives engaged in combat operations across the country.

He said available statistics in the last couple of years indicated very alarming figures.

Nkemdirim was speaking as Chairman of a workshop on Operations Security and Force Protection held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Mambilla barracks in Abuja on March 1st, 2022.

The workshop which had participants drawn from all security agencies and specialized organizations across the country, was designed to evolve strategies for tackling the rising casualties among security operatives in the line of duty.

Several papers were delivered by high ranking military and security big-wigs which included the Chief of Operations of the Nigerian Army, Major Gen. O.T. Akinjobi and the new Head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), of the Nigeria Police Force, DCP Tunde Disu, who recently replaced the embattled DCP Abba Kyari

Some key topics addressed by the workshop covered such areas as; vulnerability of security operatives in field operations, medical evacuation of casualties, risk assessment, surveillance and terrain analysis.

Chief Raymond  Nkemdirim commended the proactive response of the organisers of the workshop to the existential threat, expressing optimism that the recommendations arrived at, will be implemented expressly to stem the drift.

The four-day workshop ended on March 3, 2022.