A car allegedly laden with bombs exploded at the ever busy Folawiyo junction on Creek Road, Apapa on Wednesday night, killing four persons, while several others were injured.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondents that the car, a Mercedes-Benz 190, exploded around 8:30pm, after it was parked beside a fuel tanker heading into Folawiyo tank farm.
The explosion was said to have shocked residents of Apapa and its environs, which was also said to have affected two banks operating in the area, while many other buildings were also destroyed .
Many residents were scared that the explosion could have been the handiwork of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, who may have targeted the area being a depot of petroleum products.
Our correspondent gathered at the scene of the incident that the wreckage of the Mercedes Benz and the remains of an unidentified woman also littered the ground.
An eyewitness who identified himself as Musa Ali, said he narrowly escaped death when the explosion occurred. “I am a truck conductor and my truck was on the queue. I was walking towards the Folawiyo junction when I heard the explosion and I thought it was an earthquake.
“When I looked up, I saw a large ball of fire at the spot where I was to buy food and a woman in front of me was badly injured. Fire fighters quickly raced to the scene and after some minutes the fire was put off. When I went close I saw, a deep hole at the point where the explosion occurred,” he said.
However, another eye witness account said that a car wired with a bomb device rammed under a trailer parked outside the tank farm which exploded at about 8.30pm.
“We were all scared when we heard the explosion and saw smoke everywhere. There was pandemonium as everyone started running helter-skelter and it was in the midst of this confusion that a man wearing a hijab ran into the compound to detonate another bomb. Apparently, the first bomb was meant to be a distraction.”
However, spokesperson of the Lagos state police command, Ngozi Braide confirmed the incident but stated emphatically that it was not a bomb explosion.
She could however not give details of how the tanker exploded, saying the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Apapa would brief her later.
The Director, State Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, said it was a gas explosion and not a suicide bombing as claimed by some eyewitnesses.
“Suicide bomber? That is not the information I have. We were told of a fire outbreak caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder in an energy company.
“I cannot give you exact details because my men could not get easy access to the place. But they are on ground and casualty details will be given when the threat is brought under control.” he said.
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