SECURITY ALERT WITH JIDE

Chaos in Lagos over bomb threat.

There was pandemonium at the Motorway Centre at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, following rumours that a time bomb will detonate in the building.

An unsigned note was found in one of the male toilets in the building warning occupants to vacate the centre in their own interest.

The note further advised them to stay away from the building until next week; as the bomb was allegedly programmed to detonate in six hours.

An unidentified male, who allegedly saw the note, informed some occupants in the building.

Subsequently, the news spread within the centre and surrounding offices like First Bank of Nigeria, Multilinks, and other corporate organizations.

The resultant panic led people to contact friends and family, advising them to stay away from Alausa and Ikeja.

The bomb scare was also circulated through popular social networking website, Facebook.

Reacting to the scare, security personnel were deployed to the centre, and they barred people from entering the compound. Officers of the Police Anti-Bomb Squad were also present at the scene. Vehicles were barred from parking in front of the centre.

A guard with Halogen Security, attached to the centre, who did not want to be named, said they are taking pre-emptive measures.

We have shut the gates and nobody is allowed to enter the complex," he said. "Some people have their cars parked inside but we cannot allow them to come inside until we are informed by the authorities to do so.

When pressed further why the complex is being shut, he said "I cannot tell you everything; you already know what is happening. Just ask people around, they will tell you. We hear that there was bomb, but nobody has seen it, so just go to your home until tomorrow."

A young man, who gave his name as Kingley Nwosu, said he was turned back from using the Automated Teller Machines at the centre.

I came to use one of the ATM at the centre but they turned me back," he said. "The Halogen guards are the ones turning people back.

When I insisted to know why, they told me that it for my good. One of the men standing outside with me was also not allowed to go into the centre to remove his car he parked inside in the morning. He later told me that there was a bomb scare at the centre.

If there was indeed a bomb scare, the Halogen guards at the centre should tell people politely, they were just telling me and other people ‘you cannot enter, you cannot enter the centre' without any good reason."

The scare caused serious panic among Lagos residents as people also avoided moving near parked vehicles in densely-populated areas such as Oshodi, Oyingbo, Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Ikeja, Alimosho, Ajegunle, Mushin, Ikorodu, Ilasamaja, Idi-Araba, Ojota, Isolo, Ejigbo, Ikotun, Okokomaiko and others.

Many public servants at the Lagos State Secretariat in Alausa also panicked as rumours spread that some unknown terrorist groups had planned to detonate bombs in the secretariat. Police response The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Marvel Akpoyibo, described the bomb scare at the Motorway Centre as handiwork of mischief makers.

Frank Mba, the police spokesperson, said bomb experts in the state have been drafted to the scene and investigations reveal that the scare was false.

The attention of the Command has been drawn to on-going rumour spreading across the city allegedly [over]a bomb threat at Motorway Complex near 7up Bottling Plant, Alausa," he said.

A combined team of conventional police men and crack explosive detectives from the Police Bomb Disposal Squad were deployed to the facilities.

A meticulous search carried on the building and its environs as part of immediate investigations showed that the threat was false and devoid of all credibility."

Mba urged residents to desist from spreading false and unsubstantiated information especially, on security sensitive issues.

People with useful information are advised to pass same covertly to security agencies rather than resort to rumour mongering and unnecessary spread of fear in minds of innocent citizens" he said.

This is the second time in one week that a bomb scare has hit the city. Earlier in the week, a text message was circulated, which stated "there was an intelligence report that a bomb will go off soon in Lagos. Avoid crowded areas. Please, inform loved ones. You are warned.