Construction of a Remote-Controlled Bomb Disposal Robot for Security Operations in the North East Zone of Nigeria

Improvised explosive device threats in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, particularly in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States, present acute risks to military and police bomb disposal personnel during counter-terrorism operations. This project presents the construction of a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot designed to enable stand-off investigation and manipulation of suspected IED packages. The robot employs a rugged six-wheeled rocker-bogie chassis for stable movement on uneven terrain, powered by two 24-volt DC gear motors driven by a Sabertooth dual motor controller. A wireless FPV camera provides real-time video feed to the operator's control station. A two-degree-of-freedom robotic arm mounted on the chassis is actuated by servo motors and capable of exerting a gripping force of up to 15 Newtons, sufficient for repositioning typical household item packages. Control signals are transmitted via a 2.4 GHz RF module with a range of up to 200 metres in open terrain. The robot was evaluated over a series of 25 simulated IED investigation scenarios on an outdoor test course designed to replicate typical Nigerian road and urban debris environments. Task completion rate by operator-controlled manipulation was 80 percent for object repositioning tasks and 68 percent for lid removal tasks, with performance limitations linked to camera viewing angle constraints. Total fabrication cost was approximately 310,000 Naira. This study provides a design foundation for locally manufactured military-grade robotic tools relevant to Nigerian security operations. Keywords: bomb disposal robot, remote control, security robot, robotic arm, North East Nigeria