A suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) ripped through the Shoe Materials Market in Mushin, Lagos, on Monday.
The blast left one person injured and sent waves of panic through local traders and residents.
The explosion, which originated near a parked vehicle in the bustling commercial hub, prompted an immediate lockdown of the area by security forces as they launched an investigation.
While the incident caused widespread anxiety, authorities have since assured the public that the situation is under control, confirming that a thorough security sweep yielded no further explosives.
Lagos State Police Commissioner Fatai Tijani, who visited the scene, said preliminary findings indicated that the explosion was caused by an IED concealed beneath a vehicle.
According to him, the device had been planted under the passenger side of the vehicle and detonated when the engine was started.
“The IED was under the vehicle by the passenger side. It exploded when the vehicle was started,” Tijani told journalists.
He explained that police operatives, including members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, were immediately deployed after reports of the explosion reached the command.
“We promptly deployed our EOD team after receiving reports of an explosion. The area was cordoned off and thoroughly searched,” he said.
The police commissioner disclosed that one person sustained injuries in the incident and was taken to hospital for treatment.
He said the victim was responding to treatment and remained in stable condition.
Tijani said EOD experts conducted a detailed search of the environment and confirmed that no other explosive devices were present in the area.
He also revealed that fragments of the explosive device had been recovered and sent for forensic examination to assist ongoing investigations aimed at identifying those behind the incident.
Urging residents not to panic, the police chief dismissed rumours suggesting a broader security threat in Lagos, describing such claims as false and misleading.
“The command remains committed to protecting lives and property across Lagos State. Criminal elements should stay away from Lagos,” he warned.
Chief Tajudeen Faronbi, the Baale of the Oke Mushin Community, revealed that he was alerted to a suspicious vehicle in the area during the early hours of Monday.
“Around one o’clock this morning, while I was praying, I got a call about something unusual,” Faronbi recounted.
“When I arrived at the scene, I saw the vehicle, and people were too terrified to get close to it.”
Faronbi immediately contacted security forces, triggering a rapid response that brought roughly 35 police operatives and backup units to the scene to secure the perimeter.
While the identity of the vehicle’s owner remains unknown pending further investigation, the initial chaos was short-lived.
Business activities in the bustling commercial hub have gradually resumed after security agencies gave the all-clear.