Refuse burning triggered Ikeja military cantonment explosion, says Army

Refuse burning triggered Ikeja military cantonment explosion, says Army

The Nigerian Army has reacted to the explosion at the Ikeja Military Cantonment, Lagos, attributing it to a refuse burning from a farm.
This came on Monday more than 22 years after a bomb explosion that emanated from the cantonment, killing several people in the state.
Director of Public Relations, Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Monday night in Abuja however described the latest blast as a minor incident.
He said a team of engineers at the Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit had cordoned off the farmland where the explosion occurred to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
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 a 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 the 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.”