Police rule out terrorism, bomb attack in Lagos explosion

The Lagos State Police Command said it has concluded its investigation into Monday’s explosion in the Mushin area of Lagos, ruling out terrorism, sabotage and any criminal use of explosives as the cause of the incident.

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

“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,” the statement stated.

According to the police, investigators found no traces of explosive materials, detonators, initiation systems, explosive residues or blast patterns typically associated with explosive attacks.

The command said its findings showed that the incident resulted from the catastrophic failure of a pressurised mechanical component located outside the affected vehicle.

It explained that the failure triggered a sudden release of energy, causing the front passenger-side glass panels of the vehicle to shatter and leaving the vehicle owner with minor injuries.

“Based on these findings, the incident has been professionally classified as a Mechanical Explosion,” the police said.

The findings sheds light on the incident, which occurred on Monday at Wey Street in the Oke Mushin area of Lagos and initially raised fears of a possible bomb attack.

Shortly after the explosion, residents and shop owners in the community were thrown into panic amid reports that an IED may have detonated near a Toyota Sienna parked in the area. Witnesses said the vehicle owner was preparing to leave for work when the blast occurred.

The incident prompted a swift response from security agencies, with the Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, bomb disposal experts and other emergency responders visiting the scene. The area was cordoned off while investigators examined the damaged vehicle and collected evidence.

Community leaders also appealed for calm as authorities commenced investigations. The Baale of Oke Mushin, Tajudeen Lasisi Farunbi, had said he alerted security agencies after receiving reports of the explosion early in the morning and urged residents not to tamper with the vehicle before investigators arrived.

The police findings have now dispelled fears that the incident was linked to terrorism or any deliberate attack, indicating instead that it resulted from a mechanical failure.

The command assured residents that there was no security threat associated with the incident and reiterated its commitment to conducting thorough investigations into all security-related occurrences across the state to ensure public safety.