Pandemonium as explosion rocks Benin City

By PATRICK OCHOGA

There was confusion at Dumez Street, off Benin Auchi Road, Eyean, Benin City following an alleged early morning bomb explosion that rocked the area.

It was gathered that the explosion occurred at No 4, Dumez Street while its devastating impacts were visible in about six houses in the area.

As at the time of this report, men of the Nigeria Police were already on ground to ascertain the cause of the explosion.

Leadership reports that one of the landlords who gave his name as Pastor David Iginua whose house was also affected by the explosion, he said he heard a very loud sound that early morning of Friday and he decided to go out to find out what it was all about.

David said to his bewilderment, he saw the glasses on the windows of his building were all shattered on the floor.

“I am Pastor David Iginua and my house is 42, Arete Street, off Benin Auchi road, Eyaen, which is just behind where the explosion took place.

“As I sat there, all of a sudden, i heard a terrific sound. I looked, ran inside, I didn’t see what happened. So I have to come outside and I started discovering things.

“I started looking for where the sound came from but just to discover that a heavy smoke was coming out from the man compound.

“From the rumour we are hearing is that the man use to manufacture bombs.

“And it is like he tested it inside his well. Assuming he brought it out, it would have finished the community.

“The way this house shook, everybody came out to say how their houses shook,” he said.

The other landlord who lives in No 3, Dumez Street, just a building to where the explosion took place but failed to give his name, said the explosion shook the very foundation of his storey building while broken glasses from the windows were visible everywhere.

Another resident of the area who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the community before now has been very peaceful while the man who lives where the explosion took place has been handed over to the police.

“I am one of the persons living in this area. It was around 9am yesterday being Good Friday, we heard a very loud explosion, bomb.

“So we decided to rush to the scene and getting there, we saw smoke coming out from the well.

“So, in that compound, there is a well. So we then asked the boy we met there what is the problem? He said he doesn’t know.

“Upon all the investigation carried out by the people of the community, we were able to see that six houses were affected including his.

“So when we moved round, we saw that the glasses of the windows were shattered.

“We have informed the Aduwawa police station and they came, inspected the place and took away what they want and arrested the boy and as we speak, the boy is still with the police at the police station.

“This very morning, the anti-bomb squad also came including Operation Wabaizigan. The area is calm as far as we are concerned.

“No life was lost in the process and we have not experienced such a thing in this area before. This place is very peaceful,” he said.

– LEADERSHIP