Explosions rock Lagos, 17 Confirmed Dead

It was a black Sunday in Lagos as multiple explosions killed no fewer than 17 persons.

A family of four – the father, the mother and their two boys — and a Reverend Sister are among the dead.

Many others were feared trapped underneath burning or collapsed buildings in Abule Ado, a suburb of the commercial city in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area.

Acting Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Lagos Mr Ibrahim Farinloye said the couple and their two sons were caught by the explosion on their way to church.

No fewer than 62 pople, including pupils of a girls boarding Catholic secondary school were  injured and taken to hospitals.

The principal of the school Rev. Sis. Henrietta Alokha, died after rescuing all the pupils. Another priest who was conducting Sunday mass for the pupils was injured.

About 50 houses are affected, many of them destroyed completely.

Many vehicles were ruined by the explosions which magnitude was said to be comparable to the January 2002 Ikeja Cantonment bomb blast.

The huge bang that accompanied the explosions shook houses in FESTAC town, Okota, Surulere and as far as Ilasamaja – many kilometres away from the scene of blast.

As of 4.30 pm, some pupils of the Bethlehem Catholic Girls’ College were still feared trapped in the rubble of their hostel buildings.

Many occupants of some of the damaged houses on about six streets were also feared trapped.

Affected were buildings inside the Trade Fair Complex, located about one kilometre away where hundreds of vehicles parked at a mechanic village were destroyed.

The cause of the blast remained in the realm of speculation, because of its magnitude.

The Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osayintolu, said “the cause is unknown”

The NEMA coordinator said: “We are going to find out what really happened. I have been to so many blasts scenes, especially Maiduguri and I can tell you that I do not know if a single bomb can have this kind of effect we have seen here. Not even an IED can.

“It is during post emergency phase that we will know what happened here. From the information gathered, the truck was carrying score stone and the truck was about 1t metres away from the pipeline.

“We also gathered that the blast was heard before the fire broke out. If it was pipeline fire, it should be the other way round. That is why anti-bomb squads have been invited.”