An eleven-month-old baby was feared dead
while several others sustained varying degrees
of injuries, when an imaginary explosion
occurred at the Eke Ozi market in Igboeze
North local government area of Enugu state
Friday.
The incident, which occurred at about 2:00pm
few metres to the Divisional Police
Headquarters at Ogrute, was suspected to be
a bomb blast, making the market women and
traders to scamper for safety.
It was however later discovered that it was a
mere fire-cracker popularly known as knock-
out thrown by some children who were playing
around the market.
The sound of the fire-cracker threw the entire
market into pandemonium as marketers
thought members of the Boko Haram sect had
invaded the area. In the ensuing melee, the
eleven-month-old baby was trampled upon,
while hoodlums had a field day looting shops,
during the stampede, which lasted for several
minutes.
The panic came barely a month after 21
suspected members of Boko Haram were
intercepted at Obolo Afor community, about
four kilometres away from Igboeze North.
The police authorities however dismissed the
allegation that the suspects were members of
the terrorist group as they were moved to the
police headquarters, Abuja for interrogation.
Inspite of police assurance, there has been
apprehension in the area to the extent that the
people are ready to take to their heels at the
slightest sound. Both Enugu Ezike and Obolo
Afor are border towns between Benue and
Enugu states.
As at the time of filing this report, commercial
activities had resumed at the market, even as
traders whose shops were looted lamented
their losses.
Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer
in the state, DSP Ebere Amarizu, could not
yield any result as his phone was switched off.
But a police officer who refused to have his
name in print, said the police high command
was still studying the situation and would
issue a statement in due course. “But the little
information we got shows it was not really an
explosion,” he said

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