Over 1000 people were hurriedly evacuated from the Motorways Complex at Old Tollgate, Lagos State, South West Nigeria when rumour of a bomb scare spread through the complex.
There was pandemonium as Lagosians working in the complex hurriedly scampered to safety. The building houses over 45 companies, including two banks. Commercial activities in the complex were paralysed.
WORKERS OUTSIDE MOTOWAY COMPANY ALONG LAGOS IBADAN EXP WAY WHERE THIER IS AN INFROMATION THAT BOMB IS BEING PLANTED INSIDE THE BUILDING.
The bomb scare episode was ignited following an anonymous note found in a toilet of one of the companies’ resident in the complex warning that a bomb would explode in the building in the next six hours.
Anti-bomb policemen, members of the State Security Services, SSS raced to the scene and immediate evacuated the remaining occupants of the building and sealed it up while effort to find where the supposed bomb was located proved abortive.
The rumour about the bomb had spread across the complex around 2.00 p.m on Thursday.
People intending to go into the premises to transact businesses were turned back as the complex was condoned off by the police.
A staff of Office of the Public Defender, OPD told PM NEWS that they were asked to leave the complex when the news of the rumoured bomb scare spread.
Another source stated that the anonymous note found in one of the toilets was signed by an unknown group which described itself as Concerned Nigerians, while calling for evacuation of everyone in the building.
The note, it was gathered did not specify where the bomb was planted. It only said that the explosive due to explode was planted in one of the offices.
Some of the workers were seen gathered in groups discussing the incident. While some doubted the authenticity of the note, others did not ignore the warning.
This is the second time in four days that rumours of bomb scare would spread in the Lagos metropolis after the Jos and Abuja bombing episodes.
Efforts to get to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Lagos Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba to comment on the development proved abortive as calls to his handset were not picked.
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
More News from other Media:
There was panic among Lagos residents yesterday following reports that bombs might detonate at Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital...
The reports alleged that bombs were planted inside the premises of Motorways Plaza, near the old toll gate by noon and that they would go off in six hours.
Sources said a note was found in one of the male toilets in the complex, warning occupants to vacate the building in their own interest.
The note advised the occupants to stay away until next week.
It was gathered that when the news spread, the occupants began to move to areas considered safe.
The news also spread to the neighbourhood and the metropolis.
Representatives of Embassies and High Commissions in Lagos made calls to security agencies to confirm the veracity of the story.
A Police source told The Nation yesterday: “Most of them wanted to know if they should commence the evacuation of their nationalities from Lagos.”
Businesses were closed in Alausa as the residents called their family members, advising them against going to Ikeja.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, described the reports as spurious.
He said the information was mischievous and circulated to destabilise the state.
Akpoyibo urged residents to beware of those peddling false information through text messages, phone calls or any other means. He said such people only caused unnecessary panic.
The Police chief warned those behind the false alerts to desist, saying it is against the law.
He assured residents that the Police would check the information, investigate it and know what to do about it.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Bomb Disposal Unit, Mr Chris Olakpe, said his men combed the scene with bomb detection equipment but did not find any explosive.
He said his unit would continue to “sweep” the area until further notice.
Residents of Alausa and its environs were jittery...
The news broke during the inauguration of the 250 modern cabs by the government.
It disrupted business activities at Motorways Plaza; other nearby buildings hurriedly shut.
Affected by the scare were the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Office of Public Defence (OPD), MultiLinks Communications, Oceanic Bank and First Bank branches in the neighbourhood.
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