[size=14pt]Bomb scare in Lagos *Confusion at Lagos secretariat *Embassies worried over citizens' safety[/size]
Written by Kunle Oderemi, Kunle Awosiyan and Olalekan Olabulo, Lagos
Thursday, January 6, 2011


THERE was confusion in some parts of Ikeja, Lagos State, on Thursday, following a bomb scare. Thousands of workers fled their offices with most companies forced to close abruptly for the day.




http://odili.net/news/source/2011/jan/6/603.html



The stampede began at about 2.15 p.m., when a distress message was sent to all offices at the ever-busy Motorways Centre, housing more than 42 companies of imminent explosions on the premises.


It was alleged that bombs had been planted at a branch of a new generation bank, which could go off any moment.


It triggered a stampede among customers and workers on the premises at the moment.


While people ran helter-skelter, owners of vehicles parked on the premises, scrambled to move them out.


Riot policemen cordoned off the area as other security agents, including ballistics experts, combed the premises to avert any disaster.


More security operatives and men of the state Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were later deployed in the premises.


It was gathered that the operatives of Anti-Bomb Squad quickly evacuated staff members of different public and private agencies and firms from the plaza located at the strategic area of the state.


The government agencies using the Motorways Plaza include Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Office of Public Defence (OPD), while the corporate organisations include Multilinks Communications, Oceanic Bank Plc and FirstBank Plc, among other prominent firms.


Only a few workers stayed at a relatively safe distance as the security agents took pre-emptive measures.


A piece of paper signed by a "Concerned Nigerian" and entitled, "Attention, Motorways Occupants, Security Alert," and found within the premises exacerbated the anxiey.


It read: "You have less than six hours to vacate your offices and premises as a bomb has been planted in the car park and another very close to one of the offices.


"It is expected to explode any time soon. "Please keep away from your offices and the premises between now and the weekend. Do not say you were never warned."


By 3.30 p.m., no worker was allowed into the premises based on a stern warning from the management of the edifice.


The state police boss, Marvel Akpoyibo, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, described the bomb scare as one of the "spurious messages to create panic among residents of the state."


The police boss also added that the police in the state did not take the threat lightly as policemen had been drafted to the scene for investigation and protection of lives and property .


However, yesterday evening, a text message that was circulated claimed that the police had actually found the explosive inside the premises of Motorways .


The text message also had it that the police had immediately detonated the explosive, while investigations had commenced on the origin of the explosive.


Efforts by the Nigerian Tribune to confirm the recovery and detonation of the explosive were futile as calls put through to the spokesman in charge of the state police command, Frank Mba, were not answered.


Also, the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, was thrown into confusion yesterday as news of a plan to bomb the area by terrorists circulated.


The news of the bomb scare, which filtered through the office of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) at about 3.30 p.m., during the official inauguration of phase II of the modern taxi cab scheme which was held at the Lagos House, led to panic among the dignitaries who graced the occasion.


Though Governor Fashola was not present at the inauguration, his deputy, Mrs Adebisi Sarah Sosan; the Commissioner for Transportation, Professor Bamidele Badejo and his counterpart in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, appeared unaware of the news.


However, the movement of journalists and few other people away from the venue of the event created fear among the dignitaries.


This was not unconnected with a warning from the leadership of Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), advising journalists attached to the Governor's Office to disengage from public places, warning them to be alert and careful as there was a plan by some terrorists to bomb the state secretariat.


At the state secretariat, Nigerian Tribune observed security operatives attached to Rapid Response Squad (RRS) being briefed and deployed in different parts of Ikeja to maintain law and order.