Female soldier, children injured in Nasarawa grenade explosion

Story by Yahaya Saleh Muhammad

A female soldier, two children and another resident were injured following a grenade explosion in Maraba area of Nasarawa State, according to a report,

The incident occurred on Wednesday, December 24, at about 11:46 a.m., inside a residential apartment along Abacha Road. The explosion reportedly happened while a hand grenade was being handled within the premises.

Preliminary findings revealed that the explosive device had allegedly been kept in the apartment for about three years by an unidentified soldier who previously served in the North-East. During a cleaning exercise, the occupant of the apartment reportedly discovered the grenade and invited the female soldier to help determine whether it was safe.

Moments after the device was examined, it exploded, leaving the soldier with serious injuries to her wrist and other parts of her body, while the children also sustained varying degrees of injuries .

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The injured soldier was initially rushed to a private hospital in Keffi before being transferred to the Defence Headquarters Medical Centre, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, and later referred to Cedarcrest Hospital, Apo, where she is said to be responding to treatment and in stable condition .

Security agencies have commenced investigations to determine how the grenade came to be stored in the apartment and the circumstances surrounding the explosion. A senior military officer contacted for comments said he had yet to receive a full briefing on the incident .

Residents of the area have expressed concern over the incident, calling for proper handling and disposal of explosive materials to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

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