Lagos Residents Panic As Explosion Rocks Ikeja Cantonment

Palpable fears on Monday gripped Lagos residents following an explosion that rocked the Ikeja Military Cantonment in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the explosion occurred on a farmland in the cantonment.

As of the time of filing this report, details of the explosion were still sketchy, and there was no report of casualty.

It will be recalled that on January 27, 2002, bomb explosion that killed several people and rendered many people homeless occurred in the cantonment.

Again in October 2023, the service recovered 642 unexploded bombs from the cantonment.

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Confirming the Monday explosion, the Nigerian Army described it as a minor incident, and urged residents to remain calm.

The Army, in a statement by its Director of Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said its Engineers in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team had cordoned off the area of the farmland where the explosion occurred to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause.

The statement read, “This is to notify the general public that today, Monday, April 1, 2024, a minor explosion occurred within the Nigerian Army Cantonment in Ikeja, Lagos. The incident occurred on farmland near the Mammy Market within the cantonment.

“The explosion is suspected to have been triggered by the burning of refuse and other inflammable debris by a farmer who cultivated the farmland.

“Fortunately, no casualty was recorded in the incident. However, given that the cantonment was recently cleared and certified free of unexploded ordnances, we understand that there could be concerns among the general public as a result of the historical antecedent of explosion within the cantonment.

“The NA therefore wishes to assure the public that the situation is under control as the NA Engineers Explosive Ordnance Disposal team has cordoned off the area of the farmland to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion. We urge residents in the general area not to panic and assure them of their safety.”