Nigerian Army Recovers Dozens of Unexploded Bombs in Lagos
- The ongoing “Exercise Clean Sweep” has resulted in the recovery of 93 unexploded bombs (ordnances) at the Ikeja Military Cantonment in Lagos
- Legit.ng reports that the exercise was flagged off earlier this week to disinfect the epicentre of the 2002 bomb blast at the cantonment
- According to an army official, Colonel Abdulrazaq Kazeem, the recovered bombs were in various types and sizes
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Ikeja, Lagos state - The Nigerian Army (NA) said it has recovered 93 unexploded ordnances (bombs) at the Ikeja Military Cantonment, Lagos.
The ordnances were discovered in the Army’s ongoing operation dubbed ‘Exercise Clean Sweep’, Vanguard newspaper reported.
Source: Twitter
Army begins removal of unexploded bombs
Legit.ng reports that the exercise, flagged off on Tuesday, October 10, was to clear the area following the 2002 bomb blast that rocked the cantonment.
The recovered bombs, according to the Army, were in various calibres and descriptions.
Colonel Abdulrazaq Kazeem, the Director at the Directorate of Explosives Search and Disposal, Nigeria Army Engineers/Coordinator of the ‘Exercise Clean Sweep’, made the disclosure in his maiden briefing on the update of the exercise on Thursday, October 12.
Business Day quoted him as saying at the event.
“We have so far recovered 93 ordnances of different calibers.
"So at 93, we are not yet up to the explosives, we measure it in kilograms, so once we get to that particular explosive limit, then we’ll move to the range”.
2002 Lagos armoury explosion
The Lagos armoury explosion was the accidental detonation of a large stock of high explosives at a military storage facility in Lagos on January 27, 2002.
The fires created by the debris from this explosion created a panic that spread to other areas.
As people fled the flames, many stumbled into a concealed canal and drowned.
The explosion and its aftermath are believed to have killed at least 1,100 people and displaced over 20,000, with many thousands injured or homeless.
The government of Nigeria launched an enquiry, which blamed the Nigerian Army for failing to properly maintain the base or to decommission it when instructed in 2001.
Why army general was sent to prison
In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), was sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing $2,178,900 and N1.65 billion.
Mohammed was sentenced for stealing the money belonging to NAPL by the Nigerian Army Special Court-martial in Abuja on Tuesday, October 10.
Source: Legit.ng
