BREAKING: Army Releases Statement as Explosion Hits Ikeja Cantonment, Details Surface

• A “minor explosion” has happened within the Nigerian Army cantonment in Ikeja, Lagos state
• The Army posted on its official X account to explain that the explosion hit the farmland of the Ikeja cantonment
• Legit.ng reports that the Ikeja cantonment is remembered for a blast which occurred in January 2002 and claimed the lives of over 1,000 people

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism.

Ikeja, Lagos state - The Nigerian Army on Monday, April 1, said a minor explosion occurred within its cantonment in Ikeja, Lagos.

Major-General Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, stated that the incident occurred on a farmland near the 'mammy market' within the Cantonment.

He attributed the cause of the explosion to the burning of refuse and other inflammable debris.

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The Army’s statement reads:

“Fortunately, no casualty was recorded in the incident. However, given that the Cantonment was recently cleared and certified free of unexploded ordnances, we understand that there could be concerns among the general public as a result of the historical antecedent of explosion within the Cantonment.

“The NA therefore wishes to assure the public that the situation is under control as the NA Engineers Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has cordoned off the area of the farmland to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion.

"We urge residents in the general area not to panic and assure them of their safety.”

Legit.ng reports that the Ikeja cantonment is a large Nigerian Armed Forces installation in Lagos. It is situated north of the city's centre.

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The cantonment is remembered for a blast which occurred in January 2002 and claimed the lives of over 1,000 people.

Soldier ‘accidentally’ shoots self dead

In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Army reacted to the reports that a soldier committed self-murder by shooting himself dead in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

The acting deputy director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, insisted that the deceased did not kill himself.

Ayeni explained that the deceased soldier “handled his weapon negligently and misfired, which resulted in his death”.

Source: Legit.ng