The Nigerian Army has revealed the cause of the explosion which occurred on Monday, April 1, within the cantonment in Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Monday, this recent explosion is suspected to have been triggered by the burning of refuse and other inflammable debris by a farmer who cultivated a farmland near the Mammy Market within the Cantonment.
Nwachukwu further disclosed that no casualty was recorded in the incident, assuring residents and the general public that the NA Engineers Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team is currently conducting an investigation.
“However, given that the Cantonment was recently cleared and certified free of unexploded ordnances, we understand that there could be concerns among the general public as a result of the historical antecedent of explosion within the Cantonment.
“The NA therefore wishes to assure the public that the situation is under control as the NA Engineers Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has cordoned off the area of the farmland to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion. We urge residents in the general area not to panic and assure them of their safety,” the statement partly read.
Recall that in November 2023, Brig. Gen. Nwachukwu, announced the recovery of 642 unexploded bombs from the Ikeja Military Cantonment after the Nigerian Army initiated “Exercise Clean Sweep” to clear remnants from the 2002 Ikeja Cantonment Bomb Blast site.
The final Unexploded Ordnance Disposal task was scheduled for completion of the site inspection on November 18, 2023, at the Nigerian Army Range in Owode Ajilete, Ogun State.