By Amofokhai Audu
The Force Headquarters, Abuja, says the police have foiled a bomb attack in Ikeja area of Lagos State, calling on residents to stay vigilant and report suspicious objects to the police.
Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Wednesday said following a recent incident involving the discovery and successful detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on 31st July, 2024, by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos, the Nigeria Police Force wished to alert all citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or objects to the nearest police station.
“All members of the public are urged to stay alert and be aware of their surroundings, reporting any unusual or suspicious behaviour. Where one encounters an unfamiliar or suspicious object, please do not touch or move it. Rather, keep a safe distance and immediately inform the Police.
“The Nigeria Police reiterates that its foremost responsibility is to protect the lives and property of our citizens. While the Nigeria Police Force is working tirelessly to investigate further the source of the bearers of the IED planted in Lagos, dismantle their plans and apprehend those involved, the cooperation of well-meaning members of the public is vital in these critical times,” he said.
According to Adejobi, “It’s pertinent to state that the intentions of the criminally minded individuals, who acted like terrorists for planting the IEDs at that strategic location, were purely to destroy houses, facilities and innocent citizens who may transverse along the route where the items were recovered.
“It is not out of point, however, to be vigilant to detect such unusual packages or parcels in our vicinity to avert any ugly incidences.”
Earlier, the Lagos State Police Command had said it foiled an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack on residents of Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday afternoon.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesman of the Command said at about 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday, a police officer reported the attempted attack at the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) base, at Ikeja, Lagos.
He said the officer reported that while he was on his way along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, he sighted an unregistered Corolla car, which was parked on the main road close to the gate of Police Mobile Force 23 Barracks.
Hundeyin said the officer said that a young man came down from the car and carefully dropped a bag by the fence of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit office, returned to the vehicle and zoomed off.
According to him, based on the report, a team of EOD-CBRN from the base was quickly mobilised to the scene to identify the object and render same safe if confirmed to be IED.
He explained that on arrival, it was discovered to be IED and that subsequently, the area was cordoned off and the adopted IED rendered safe and taken to a distance for detonation accordingly.
