Residents in the area around the Ikeja Cantonment in Lagos State expressed shock and concern after a ‘minor explosion’ occurred within the military base on Monday. While the Nigerian Army has described the incident as a “minor explosion,” witnesses in the area reported hearing a loud blast and seeing smoke coming from the base.
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, released a statement confirming that the incident was contained to a small area near the Mammy Market within the Cantonment. He stated that the situation is under control, and that the area is secure. General Nwachukwu’s statement sought to reassure the public that the incident was not a threat to the wider community.
“This is to notify the general public that today Monday 1 April 2024, a minor explosion occurred within the Nigerian Army (NA) Cantonment in Ikeja, Lagos. The incident occurred on a farmland near the Mammy Market within the Cantonment.
“The explosion is suspected to have been triggered by the burning of refuse and other inflammable debris by a farmer who cultivated the farmland.
“Fortunately, no casualty was recorded in the incident. 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.”