Apapa Explosion Was Terror Attack - US

The United States of America (USA) on Friday told President Goodluck Jonathan that the Thursday explosion in the Apapa area of Lagos State could actually be attributed to the activities of a terrorist gang.

The US intelligence experts in Lagos revealed this to President Jonathan in classified report, which our Correspondent sighted, at the presidential wing of the Lagos Airport.

The U.S. said it had already warned its citizens of a planned suicide attack in Lagos.

“ There is plan by terrorists to launch a deadly attack on one or two densely populated spots in Lagos. Sheraton Hotels near Lagos, Nigeria’s main commercial hub which attracts many foreign business people and which so far has been spared by the country’s violent Islamist militants, may have been slated as one of the targets,” it said.

A security source also told our Correspondent that President Jonathan had been briefed about the true position of the Apapa blast which happened on Thursday.

The source said Jonathan who had to cut short his trip for the African Union (AU) Head of Governments meeting in Equitorial Guinea, made a brief stop in Lagos to get briefing on the Thursday blast at Apapa.

It was gathered that the Nigerian leader was told by the U.S. operatives that a warning to this effect had been issued since April.

It was also confirmed that, seven persons were confirmed dead on the spot after the blast occurred. The group also told Jonathan that investigation after the blast had revealed that a suspected female suicide bomber might have carried out the attack.

“We were reliably informed that a lady dressed in Hijab had fled the scene after perhaps detonating the IED and entered a car that was parked strategically at Allen Junction. Minutes after the first explosion occurred, the second one happened at that same junction,” U.S. operatives said.

Speaking to newsmen after the incident, the Lagos State Police Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, would rather attribute the explosion to a tanker conveying petrol. “There is nothing whatsoever suggesting that it was a bomb explosion, it was a tanker loaded with fuel that burst into flames,” Braide said. “Policemen are on ground there now and we cannot yet ascertain the casualty figures. But everything is under control.”

Also speaking, Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Kehinde Adebayo, who responded on behalf of the Managing Director, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed to journalists that the loud noise accompanied by the fire explosion is “from a tanker loaded with fuel.”

Similarly, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), also attributed the cause of the fire to a gas cylinder explosion. Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA Spokesperson, South-West, said the explosion occurred at 26 Creek Road, Apapa at about 9:15 p.m.

“People were reported to be filling gas into the cylinder before it exploded,” Farinloye said in a text message.

The Apapa explosion happened less that eight hours a blast killed more than 20 persons at a shopping plaza in Abuja.

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Apapa Explosion Was Terror Attack - US