There was serious panic around the ever-busy Nnamdi Azikiwe Street at Idumota, Lagos Island area following the discovery of three strange objects suspected to be explosives.
The items were discovered in front of Union Homes Company, very close to a branch of Access Bank.
A source said traders were already arranging their wares for business to begin after the weekly market environmental sanitation when items were discovered. He said business owners in the area immediately closed shop.
The anti-bomb unit of the Nigeria police was immediately alerted.”The police rushed to the scene and cordoned off the place,” the source said. “They moved the objects into a vehicle with registration number LSR 276 BP and left. They were led by the Divisional Police Officer, Ebute-Ero, John Otahunmele.”
According to eye witnesses, the objects were eventually confirmed as bombs by the Police.
The Policemen attached to the company said before the bombs were discovered, a man had come in a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), distributed money to the beggars around the area and asked them to leave while he drove away too. They said it was that action that triggered their curiosity before they looked around and found the bombs, set to explode around 1pm when activities around the area would have been at its peak.
The Police said the bomb would have caused severe damage to everything within 70 meters radius of the location if it had not been detected and defused.
The United States of America had some days ago warned that some areas including the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos is been targeted for an attack.
