Army launches manhunt for owners of intercepted bombs

Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim

The Nigerian Army has commenced a manhunt for the owners of the truck loaded with explosives, which was intercepted by soldiers at Lugbe, Abuja, on Thursday night.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Raphael Isah, confirmed on the telephone on Friday that two policemen were arrested alongside the drivers and an undisclosed number of civilian occupants of the truck.

According to him, the military had commenced an investigation into the incident to unravel the identities of the policemen, their civilian counterparts and their mission.

He said that it would be too early for anybody to read meaning into the incident as security operatives were already looking into it.

However, Isah said that it was not true that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, visited any military barracks to see the intercepted explosives and the suspects as reported.

He urged the members of the public to be calm and allow the security operatives to get to the root of the matter.

He said, “Well, I must say that the report we are receiving on this issue is surprising. I think that report is not completely true. Yes, some people were intercepted with a truck carrying explosives, but nobody has counted them to come up with any figure.

“Two policemen were among those being held in relation with the intercepted truck. For now, I cannot say more than this. The matter is being investigated and I must add that the Inspector-General of Police did not visit any of our barracks. That is not true.”

Meanwhile, the IG has denied a report in a national daily that bombs were intercepted in Abuja, saying the purported items were explosives meant for quarry sites in Okene, Kogi State and Abuja.

According to him, preliminary investigation conducted established that two Police Anti-bomb Squad personnel namely Cpl. Shorunke Tajudeen with Force No. 363135 and Cpl. Ini-Obong Okon with F/No. 390650, were officially detailed to escort a consignment of quarry explosives on Wednesday from Dynatrac Nigeria Ltd., Iperu-Remo, Ogun State to the construction quarry sites.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore, in Abuja on Friday, stated that the explosives were meant for Borini Prono Construction Company site, Okene (already delivered), SCC Construction Company, Abuja; Salini Construction Company, Abuja; Arab Contractors, Abuja; Cinihs Quarry, Mpape, Abuja and Habibu Quarry Mpape, Abuja.

He said that the policemen escorting the explosives were in company with two members of staff of the company namely, Godday Ikhidero (a sales representative) and Taiwo Oyawusi. They were in possession of the company’s way bill itemising the goods in the truck and their intended destination at the time of arrest.

He said, “The IG wishes to make it clear that this information only came to him this morning and was neither contacted by the story writers nor the arresting officers.

“In view of all the above, the publication is false in its entirety, misleading, untrue and should be discountenanced.”

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