The Lagos State Government has said that residents have no cause for alarm after a substance suspected to be Improvised Explosive Device (IED), was found in a manhole in a street in Agege yesterday.
The development forced residents to scamper for safety following the discovery and a bomb scare. But, rising from its monthly Security Council Meeting, chaired by Governor Akinwumi Ambode, the government urged the people to go about their normal businesses.
Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, who briefed reporters at the end of the meeting alongside service commanders of security formations and top government functionaries, said security agencies responded swiftly to the development and found out that the substance was just pieces of thrash dropped in the manhole.
He said:
“Early this morning, we were alerted to a situation where it was reported that some passersby dropped something on the manholes in one of the streets at Agege which led to a bomb scare.
“The security operatives quickly responded; the bomb disposal unit also went there; those manholes were checked and it was found out that it was just thrash that was thrown into those manholes.“We also seized the opportunity to do what is called sweeping of the environment to reassure members of the public that security operatives in the State are more alive to their responsibilities, and that once we get information on a timely basis, response will also be done in a swift manner to ensure that nothing untoward happen in Lagos.”
He said the meeting, being the first for the year, was used to appraise the performance of security outfits in the State last year, and strategize for the New Year.“We have done an appraisal of what happened last year in terms of our challenges and the modest achievements that were recorded last year and use that to prepare for the year and improve on what we have been doing and to position ourselves very well for the new challenges that could emerge in the year with the view to making the people of Lagos and their properties safer and more secured.”
