The Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, disclosed that its operatives foiled a bomb attack in Ikeja, the seat of the state government.
The disclosure comes less than 24 hours before a planned nationwide protest against harsh government policies.
The device, which was wrapped in a bag, was dropped by the roadside from an unregistered vehicle along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
The bomb was later deactivated by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command anti-bomb squad, as confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin.
The Command spokesperson explained during a virtual press briefing on the incident that a vigilant police officer reported around 4 pm that while on his way along Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way Ikeja, he sighted an unregistered white Corolla car parked on the main road close to the gate of the Police Mobile Force’s 23 Barracks in Ikeja.
The police officer also reported that a young man alighted from the car and carefully dropped a bag by the side of the fence of the Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Ikeja before returning to the car and later zoomed off.
“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.
“On arrival, it was discovered to be IED. Subsequently, the area was cordoned off. SOP adopted IED rendered safe and thereafter taken to a safe distance for detonation,” SP Hundeyin said.
He added that the residual of the IED was collected for further analysis and efforts are underway to track the owner of the vehicle.
The spokesperson said the incident raises concerns about the safety of Lagos residents ahead of the planned protest.
“This raises concern about mass gathering of people and safety issues in Lagos State,” Hundeyin said.
