The Lagos State Police Command successfully neutralized an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Ikeja area on Wednesday, preventing a potential disaster.
According to Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson, the device was discovered inside a bag placed by the roadside near the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
The incident unfolded when an officer on patrol observed a suspicious individual exiting an unregistered Toyota Corolla vehicle. The suspect carefully dropped the bag near the FOU Zone A fence before hastily returning to the car and fleeing the scene.
Acting swiftly, the police command’s anti-bomb squad was dispatched to the location. The squad confirmed the presence of an IED and immediately cordoned off the area to ensure public safety.
“The officer sighted a young man who alighted from the car and carefully dropped a bag by the side of the FOU Zone A fence. The young man returned to his car and zoomed off,” Hundeyin reported.
He detailed the subsequent actions taken by the police, stating, “Based on the report, a team of EOD-CBRN experts from the base quickly mobilised to the scene to identify the object. On arrival, it was confirmed that truly the item is IED. Subsequently, the area was cordoned off, and the IED was rendered safe and thereafter detonated accordingly.”
“Meanwhile, the residual of the IED was collected for further analysis and investigation.”