Tony Osauzo, Benin
It has been confirmed that the explosion that occurred last weekend on Dumez Street, off Benin-Auchi Road, Eyaen near Benin City, was not an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) as suspected.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Lawan Jimeta, who gave the confirmation in Benin City, said it was an explosion from electrical appliance dumped in a pit by one Muhammed Hamzat whom he said is an ICT expert.
“It was not an explosion per se, it was just like a chemical reaction; we got the person, he is into ICT and repairs of electrical appliances.
“He has an old pit in his house where he dumps his waste materials and on the day in question, he said he swept the whole compound and dumped the refuse in the pit so as he tried to light and burn the wastes, he heard a bang. There was no fire; it was just the dust that came out of the pit but the force from that loud noise shattered some of the glasses in his apartment and also those of his neighbours.
“Our men from the bomb unit have been there. They were there that very day, then the following day they went again but there was nothing; there were no signs of explosion; there were no remnants because if it was IED, you will see the remnants of explosives and then you will see fire; there was no fire but I have asked them to continue investigation and I have asked them if it is necessary to call other experts to get to the root of the matter,” he explained.
The commissioner also confirmed the arrest of one person in connection with the killing of a young man on Sunday which was attributed renewed cult war in Benin City.
“It is not a renewed cult killing but this is an isolated case; we were able to go round and arrest somebody in connection with that killing.
“Somebody was arrested in connection with that killing; it is an isolated quarrel but it happened that the victim was a rival person, but we are keeping eyes on them.
“Initially we heard there was going to be renewed killings but we deployed our men around to abort the plan,” Jimeta said.
