Panic as bomb explosion rocks Lagos market

A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in a commercial district of Lagos on Monday, leaving one person injured and triggering panic among traders and residents.

The incident occurred at the Shoe Materials Market in Mushin, prompting a swift response from security agencies who immediately secured the area and launched an investigation.

Fatai Tijani, Lagos state commissioner of police who visited the scene, said preliminary findings indicated that the explosion originated from an explosive device concealed beneath a vehicle.

According to him, police operatives, including members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, were deployed immediately after reports of the blast were received.

“We promptly deployed our EOD team after receiving reports of an explosion. The area was cordoned off and thoroughly searched,” Tijani said.

The police commissioner disclosed that the device had been planted beneath the passenger side of the vehicle and exploded when the vehicle was started.

“The IED was under the vehicle by the passenger side. It exploded when the vehicle was started,” he stated.

Tijani confirmed that one person sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital, where the victim is receiving treatment and is in stable condition.

He added that a comprehensive search of the area did not uncover any additional explosive devices.

Following the operation, the police urged traders and residents to remain calm and continue their normal activities, assuring them that the situation had been brought under control.

The commissioner also revealed that fragments recovered from the scene had been taken away for forensic examination as investigators work to determine those behind the attack.

He dismissed rumours suggesting a wider security threat in Lagos, describing such claims as misleading and capable of creating unnecessary panic.

“The command remains committed to protecting lives and property across Lagos State. Criminal elements should know there is no hiding place for them,” he said.

Also speaking, Tajudeen Faronbi, the Baale of Oke Mushin Community said he received an alert about a suspicious vehicle in the early hours of Monday.

“Early this morning, around one o’clock, while I was praying, I received a call that something unusual had been seen. When I got there, I saw a vehicle and people were afraid to go near it,” he said.

Faronbi explained that he immediately contacted security authorities, leading to the rapid deployment of dozens of officers to the area.

According to him, the swift intervention helped prevent panic and ensured residents stayed away from the scene until it was declared safe.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, while authorities continue efforts to determine the origin of the explosive device and those responsible for planting it.