Bomb Disguised as Parcel Causes Explosion in Lagos, Particles Sent for Forensic Analysis

The single sharpest fact is this: a bomb disguised as a parcel caused an explosion in Oke Mushin, Lagos, yesterday morning, injuring a driver.

A suspected Improvised Explosive Device, IED, exploded beneath a parked vehicle in the area about 6 a.m. The incident occurred at 22, Wey Street, Oke Mushin, when the owner of the gold Toyota Sienna with registration number AAA 11FX, attempted to start the vehicle after it was parked overnight. The blast triggered a swift response from security agencies, including bomb disposal experts and senior police officers, who cordoned off the area and launched an investigation.

A police source told Vanguard that the driver of the car was slightly injured and nothing else. The source also said that the matter was not as serious as the media was blowing it to be. The market was busy when the incident happened, but normalcy has returned today. The source added that they are still analyzing the particles collected from the scene to determine what was inside the package.

Traders and residents in the area have narrated how the incident happened. One of the traders, who identified himself as Ebuka, told Vanguard that he was not present when the explosion occurred but learned details of the incident upon arriving at the market. He said that the vehicle was parked overnight and the driver attempted to start the car in the morning, which led to the explosion.

A resident of the area, identified as Ogundiji, said the loud blast sent shockwaves through the community, forcing residents to rush out of their homes. He said that he was getting ready to go to work when they heard a very loud sound and did not know where it came from. When the sound stopped, some residents rushed out to find out if the community had been invaded.

The force of the explosion damaged a metal door and other property around the scene as the fragments scattered back toward the vehicle. Residents said one of the iron doors close to the blast site was torn open by the impact, while parts of the device and debris were later recovered by security operatives.

Lagos State Police Commissioner, Tijani Fatai, said that there was an explosion and any explosion can be linked to an IED. He added that their EOD operatives are still working on the explosion and what they were able to collect from the spot. He said that they will give a full brief of the outcome in due time.