Explosion rocks Abuja dumpsite

There was a loud explosion in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Wednesday morning.

This is coming a week after the Ibadan explosion that claimed the lives of 5 people.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Nkechi Isah, said: “Good afternoon, yes there was an explosion. No casualties, FEMA was there. The FCT police are looking into it. It occurred at dump site”.

However, in a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, PPRO, SP Josephine Adeh, refuted reports making rounds that it was a bomb explosion.

The statement quoted the FCT commissioner of police as saying: “The FCT Police Command hereby wishes to update the public on an alleged explosion on 24/01/2024 at about 11:45 hrs, near a refuse dump outside the Bureau of Public Enterprise premises in Maitama, Abuja.

“A rapid response team and members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit were deployed to assess the situation and preliminary findings indicate that an overheated metal refuse container activated under intense heat, exploded, thereby causing injury to two of the refuse evacuators, who are currently receiving medical attention in Maitama General Hospital.

“The FCT Police Command urges members of the public to exercise caution and refrain from using metal refuse bins. Instead, we recommend the use of plastic or rubber containers for waste disposal, as they pose a reduced risk of incidents related to over heated metal refuse container.”