By Esther Onyegbula
A suspected Improvised Explosive Device, IED, yesterday detonated beneath a parked vehicle in the Oke Mushin area of Lagos, injuring the owner and causing panic among residents.
The explosion occurred around 6 a.m. at 22, Wey Street, Oke Mushin, when the owner of a gold Toyota Sienna, with registration number AAA11FX, attempted to start the vehicle after it had been 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.
Speaking at the scene, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, confirmed that preliminary findings showed the explosive device had been planted underneath the vehicle.
“The substance that exploded has been confirmed as an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The owner sustained minor injuries and has been taken to hospital for treatment,” he said.
Fatai disclosed that Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operatives thoroughly searched the area and found no additional explosive devices.
“Remnants of the IED have been recovered and taken for forensic analysis. The area has been certified safe, and there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
The police commissioner urged residents to remain calm and continue their normal activities, assuring them that security agencies were on top of the situation.
“We will not allow criminal elements to gain a foothold in Lagos. Our borders are being monitored, and we remain vigilant,” he added.
A visit to the scene revealed extensive damage to the vehicle, with the passenger side blown out and shattered glass scattered around the area.
Burn marks and traces of explosive residue were also visible.
The Baale of Oke Mushin, Chief Tajudeen Lasisi Farounbi, said he received a distress call shortly after the incident and immediately alerted security agencies.
“When I arrived, parts of the vehicle had been shattered by the explosion. I quickly informed the police and warned residents not to tamper with the vehicle before bomb disposal experts arrived,” he said.
Farounbi noted that the vehicle had been regularly parked in the area for about two to three months but said he had little knowledge of its owner.
Security agencies have commenced a full-scale investigation to determine those behind the attack, the motive for planting the device and whether the incident was targeted or linked to a broader security threat.
The police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious objects or activities as investigations continue.
