From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Kogi State Police Commissioner, Edward Egbuka, yesterday said his men had swung into action to unravel a bomb scare that caused a stir at the premises of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
He said: “Yes, we were informed of a package that looked like a bomb that was left on the premises, and I immediately deployed the bomb disposal unit there to assess the object.
“The object was immediately blown up, the explosion you heard was the handiwork of our bomb disposal unit brought about by their efforts to blow up the object.
“Investigation has also commenced to ascertain what the actual object that stirred up the apprehension was, and I assured all the workers that they should go about their normal duties as there’s nothing to fear.”
Workers in the Office of the Secretary to Kogi State Government, Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, yesterday morning, had vacated their various offices in Lokoja, following a loud explosion that was heard on their premises.
The loud explosion was said to have occurred at about 8.30am, which sent panic to the workers and people living in the environs, as a witness’ account said the object, which looked like a bomb, was planted in the Mosque located at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs premises.
The account disclosed that immediately the unknown object was discovered, calls were put through to the security agents who visited the scene for investigation.
The source further added that some policemen from the Bomb Disposal Unity examined the said object and had to quickly detonate it, which made a loud sound as some staff in the ministry and other persons within the vicinity had to take cover to avoid being hit by the particles from the detonated object.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has denied any bomb explosion at the premises of government offices yesterday morning, saying the suspected object was ‘a plastic bottle and a can of insecticide wrapped together with a power source to make it look like an IED’.
The police, in a statement made available to newsmen, in Lokoja, claimed that media reports to that effect was unfounded, as the object suspected by the workers to be bomb, planted within the vicinity of their office, was actually not an improvised explosive device.