An explosion has rocked Obinwanne Community in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State.
The incident which happened on Thursday killed a man in the South-Eastern state.
Viral clips that surfaced online shortly after the exlosion showed victim in pain, with his legs damaged.
In the video, some unidentified residents were heard blaming the victim for the explosio, alleging that he attempted to plant the bomb in a nearby market in the area when it exploded.
The residents believe that the victim identified as Chinworeke Mmadu, must have been working for some terror group claiming to be Biafra agitators.
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday.
According to the Command’s spokesman, Henry Okoye, the victim was carrying the bomb when it “exploded prematurely.”
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He said operatives are investigating the incident to uncover the man’s motive, adding that order has been restored order in the area when they responded to a distress call about the incident.
“On receipt of the distress call, operatives from Njaba Divisional Headquarters immediately mobilised to the scene,” Okoye said.
He said two passers-by who sustained injuries during the explosion had been taken to a hospital for medical attention.
The Command’s spokesman said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Hamzat Abdulkadir, visited the scene with operatives of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit.
“The area was carefully swept and has been declared safe for public use,” he added.
He said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Danjuma assured Imo residents that the police in the state were committed to safeguarding lives and property.
The police commissioner urged the residents to stay calm, remain security-conscious, and provide “timely information” to aid security operations.
