Kogi gov’t debunks bomb explosion reports
Story from Rabi’atu, Kogi
The Kogi State Government has debunked reports making the rounds on some media platforms that there was a bomb explosion in some government offices in Lokoja during the early hours of Tuesday.
In a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Muhammed Onogwu, he described such information as malicious, false, misleading and a calculated attempt to cause panic and undermine the already improved security situation in the state.
He said “The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to a false and misleading publication in the media platforms captioned: “Explosion Rocks Kogi Government Office”.
Some media reported that a loud explosion was heard on the premises housing the office of the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr Folashade Arike Ayoade.
The loud explosion according to reports was heard around 8.30 am.
Narrating the event Onogwu said that the incident that occurred earlier Tuesday morning wad around the Ministry of the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, opposite Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre, Lokoja.
He said “There was a distressing call to the police regarding an object that looked like an IED placed on the fence of the ministry of Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs, opposite Mohammad Buhari Square, Lokoja”
The CPS added that the Bomb Disposal Unit at the Nigerian Police Force Command located a minute away from the scene was immediately deployed to the area and on arrival, they found out that it was a plastic bottle and a can of insecticide wrapped together with a power source to look like an IED.
Onogwu added that the information was discovered to be a hoax and the object was removed by operatives of the Bomb Disposal Unit.
He asserted that the state government considered the emerging misleading publication as not only unprofessional but also believes it was at variance with the ethics of the profession of journalism.
The state government according to him commended the good people of Kogi for the unalloyed support given to the security agencies in the state and urged them to disregard false news as it was capable of causing palpable tension as well as instilling fear in the state.
Citizens were also urged to go about their normal businesses as there is no cause for alarm.
