Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has refuted reports suggesting that Monday’s explosion near the Mogadishu Army Cantonment along the Abuja-Keffi Road was the result of a suicide bombing.
Speaking during an inspection of ongoing projects across the FCT on Tuesday, Wike clarified that the blast occurred when an individual, unaware of the danger, stole an explosive device from a quarry site. According to the Minister, the device detonated accidentally while being transported.
“Let me assure Nigerians that this was not a suicide bombing. The person had taken the explosive from a quarry, likely without knowledge of how dangerous it was,” Wike said. “Abuja remains the safest city in the country, and we will continue to work hard to maintain that status.”
Wike’s statement stands in sharp contrast to the account provided by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which claimed the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber attempting to infiltrate the army barracks with an improvised explosive device (IED).
In its own report, NEMA said the explosion occurred at around 1:47 p.m. and resulted in the death of the suspected bomber and injury to one passerby. Security agencies, including the EOD unit of the Nigeria Police Force, quickly secured the scene and transported the injured victim to the National Hospital in Abuja.
“The bomber died instantly,” NEMA noted. “The explosion happened while he was attempting to gain entry into the barracks, but the IED detonated before he could get in.”
The conflicting narratives have prompted ongoing investigations, with forensic experts tasked with uncovering the true cause of the explosion. The police have assured the public of a full and transparent probe.
