Police confirm Lagos explosion was not a bomb attack

The Lagos State Police Command has finished its investigation into the explosion that happened on Monday in the Mushin area of Lagos. They ruled out terrorism, sabotage, and any criminal use of explosives as the cause of the incident.

In a statement on X shared on Thursday, the police said their forensic and technical investigations found no signs that the explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or any other explosive material.

The statement said, "The investigation has conclusively established that the incident was not caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), terrorist activity, sabotage, or any form of criminal use of explosives."

According to the police, investigators did not find any traces of explosives, detonators, initiation systems, explosive residues, or blast patterns that are usually linked to explosive attacks.

Cause of the Explosion

The police command explained that their findings showed the explosion came from a major failure of a pressurized mechanical part located outside the damaged vehicle. This failure caused a sudden release of energy, which shattered the front passenger-side glass panels of the car and left the owner with minor injuries.

The police stated, "Based on these findings, the incident has been professionally classified as a Mechanical Explosion."

These findings clarify what happened on Monday at Wey Street in the Oke Mushin area of Lagos. Initially, there were worries about a potential bomb attack.

After the explosion, residents and shop owners panicked, thinking that an IED had gone off near a parked Toyota Sienna. Witnesses reported that the vehicle owner was about to leave for work when the blast happened.

The incident led to a quick response from security agencies. The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, along with bomb disposal experts and other emergency responders, visited the scene. They cordoned off the area while investigating the damaged vehicle and gathering evidence.

Community leaders also called for calm as the investigation continued. The Baale of Oke Mushin, Tajudeen Lasisi Farunbi, said he informed security agencies after hearing about the explosion early that morning. He urged residents not to touch the vehicle before investigators arrived.

The police findings have now eased concerns that the incident was connected to terrorism or any planned attack, showing instead that it was due to a mechanical failure.

The command assured residents that there was no security threat linked to the explosion. They also promised to carry out thorough investigations into all security-related incidents across the state to keep the public safe.