Bomb explosion rocks Edo, Police Arrests Suspect

Six houses were affected on Saturday in a bomb explosion that rocked Dumez Street, on Benin-Auchi Road, Eyean, a suburb of Benin City in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, with residents scampering to safety, but no life was lost.

The early-morning bomb explosion, as gathered by our reporter, took place at No. 4, Dumez Street, with the impact felt in five other houses in the neighbourhood, making some policemen to quickly rush to the area to prevent looting by hoodlums and to confirm what led to the incident.

One of the landlords in the area, Pastor David Iginua, whose house was also affected by the explosion, revealed that he heard the bang, which shattered the window panes of some of the houses, with thick smoke coming out of No. 4, Dumez Street. Iginua, of No. 42, Arete Street, Eyaen, also stated that neighbours claimed that owner of the mostly affected house, “a well-known bomb maker, was testing one of the bombs in a well, when the explosion suddenly occurred.”

It was also gathered that men of the nearby Aduwawa police station were informed of the bomb explosion and they quickly arrived, inspected the area and they arrested a man, while operatives of the Edo police command’s anti-bomb squad later arrived the area to ensure that everything was all right.

Edo state Commissioner of Police, Lawan Jimeta, through the telephone, yesterday confirmed the bomb explosion and said investigation by officers and men of his command was ongoing. Jimeta also urged Edo residents to be calm, while assuring that police would always ensure the protection of lives and property in the state, without allowing any hiding place for criminals.