Explosion Rocks Abuja, Police Speak

Abuja, NIGERIA — The FCT Police Command has reacted to reports of an explosion in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory.

In a series of tweets via X on Wednesday, some residents attributed the incident to bomb.

But the FCT police command in a statement by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the incident was as a result of an overheated metal refuse bin.

“The FCT Police Command hereby wishes to update the public on an alleged explosion on 24/01/2024 at about 1145 hrs, near a refuse dump outside the Bureau of Public Enterprise premises in Maitama, Abuja.”

“A rapid response team and members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit was deployed to assess the situation and preliminary findings indicate than an overheated metal refuse container activated under intense heat, exploded, thereby causing injury to two of the refuse evacuator, who are currently receiving medical attention in Maitama General Hospital.

“The FCT Police Command urges members of the public to exercise caution and refrain from using metal refuse bins. Instead, we recommend the use of plastic or rubber containers for waste disposal, as they pose a reduced risk of incidents related to overheated metal refuse containers,” the statement said.