Explosion Rocks Benin City With Low Casualty

Tragedy was averted Friday night in Benin city, capital of Edo State, following alleged bomb explosion at Dumez Road area of Eyaen, along Auchi Road.

The explosion occurred inside a waste dump pit, at the home of one Muhammed Hamza, said to be an information and communication expert, caused panic among residents of the area.

Windows of the building where the explosion occurred and those of four other nearby buildings were shattered.

No death or injury was however recorded in the incident.

One of the residents whose house was affected, Pastor David Iginua, said he was lucky that it was only the windows of his building that were shattered.

“I was inside the compound, when I heard a terrific sound. I ran inside, but I didn’t see what happened. So I came out, only to see heavy smoke coming out from my neighbour’s compound. People were saying it was bomb explosion,” he said.

On her party, a woman in Muhammed’s compound, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity said she was still in shock.

She said: “I was outside discussing with my sisters when we suddenly heard a loud noise and we ran inside the house.

“We later saw smoke coming out of a pit. A three months old baby was also outside but nothing happens to her.

“People were saying it was a bomb, but, how can we plant a bomb in our house and are still sitting there?”

When contacted, the Edo Police Command PRO, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor, who confirmed the incident, said nobody died or injured in the explosion.

He said from the information gathered from Hamza, who deals in electronics, he has a pit in his compound where he disposed waste materials, including electronic appliance.

“From Information gathered from Muhammed, when he was about to set some disposed waste materials, including electrical appliances, in the pit on fire, he heard a loud noise of explosion, which affected his building and the neighbouring buildings as well,” Nwabuzor said.

He, however, added that investigation was ongoing and that any further revelation would be communicated to the public.