DIC, ICRC hold ‘battlefield mortuary’ training

DIC, ICRC hold ‘battlefield mortuary’ training

By Mohammad Tijjani

The Defence Identification Centre (DIC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have commenced a five-day training on battlefield mortuary affairs in Kaduna.

The training will run from July 27 to Aug. 1, 2026 at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna.

It is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the participants to identify military personnel killed in battle and manage their remains with dignity.

The Deputy Director, DIC, Air Commodore Chukwuma Ohanele, said in his opening remarks at the commencement of the programme on Monday that the training followed collaboration between the Defence Headquarters and the ICRC.

He said the programme would address challenges associated with the identification of military personnel and dignified management of the dead, noting that battlefield deaths had become inevitable due to the high tempo of operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

According to him, the management of the dead in modern conflicts is not only a technical responsibility but also a moral and humanitarian obligation.

He said the programme, was therefore, designed to strengthen the capacity of the Armed Forces to uphold professionalism, accountability and respect for human dignity.

Ohanele said participants would undergo comprehensive theoretical and practical sessions covering mortuary affairs and the workflow for managing the dead.

He said other areas included the humanitarian role of the ICRC, international humanitarian law, Nigerian military doctrine, search and recovery operations, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal awareness.

The deputy director added that participants would be trained on establishing mortuary collection points, conducting cursory examinations, and the respectful storage, transportation and repatriation of human remains.

Other areas, he said, included temporary burials and cemetery creation.

He explained that the training would involve indoor and outdoor exercises, as well as assessment tests, to ensure that participants could effectively apply the knowledge gained in operational environments.

Ohanele commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede for sponsoring the initiative and appreciated Defence Headquarters and the DIC for their support towards organising the training.

He also thanked the Commandants of the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, and the Regiment Training School, for providing the necessary logistics and administrative support.

The deputy director expressed appreciation to the ICRC team, particularly Dr Habib El TaKach and Mr Stephen Fonseca, for their roles in developing the idea, curriculum and expertise that led to the establishment of the Battlefield Mortuary Affairs Programme in Nigeria.

He urged participants drawn from the three Services of the Armed Forces to approach the training with seriousness, openness and commitment.

Ohanele said the lessons acquired would enhance their professional competence and strengthen the moral fabric of the Armed Forces.

He said honouring the dead was also a way of upholding the living, reassuring families and reinforcing the values of discipline, respect and humanity that define military service.

Also speaking, the Commandant, Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, AVM Anthony Ekpe, said the training was coming at a critical time, given the complex military operations being conducted by the Armed Forces.

Ekpe said personnel were sometimes lost under difficult and gruesome circumstances, making it challenging to identify their bodies or recover and identify their body parts.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are involved in complex military operations.

“We also cannot deny the fact that, in the course of these operations, we sometimes lose personnel under very difficult and gruesome circumstances, making it extremely challenging to identify them or recover and identify their body parts,” he said.

He urged participants drawn from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force to take the training seriously and make the most of the opportunity.

Ekpe thanked Defence Headquarters and the ICRC for choosing the institution to host the training, adding that the knowledge and skills acquired would help in identifying personnel lost during operations and provide answers and closure to their families.

He also welcomed participants from South Africa and expressed confidence that the institution’s facilities and capabilities would contribute to the success of the programme.

Ekpe thereafter formally declared the Battlefield Mortuary Affairs Training open on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, through the Chief of the Air Staff.

In his remarks, Dr Habib El TaKach, Forensic Manager, ICRC Delegation, said the training was the outcome of a journey that began in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2024, followed by several discussions and engagements.

He described the programme as the first global training of its kind, saying it would enable participants to improve the identification of soldiers who die in conflict.

TaKach said the more deceased military personnel were identified, the more the number of missing persons would be reduced and the more families would receive answers about the fate of their loved ones.

He explained that the process began from the moment information about a casualty was received, followed by planning, coordination, obtaining necessary clearances, recovery of remains and transportation to the morgue or cemetery.

According to him, vital information, including photographs, videos, samples and other relevant documentation, must be collected at the scene to facilitate the identification of remains.

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

NAN