A potential mass casualty incident was narrowly averted in Aba, Abia state after soldiers responded to a bomb scare at the premises of the United Evangelical Church (UEC), Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill.
Eyewitnesses told ABN TV that church members were digging around the parsonage to erect a new fence when they unearthed a large metal object buried in the ground. Initially unaware of its nature, one of the workers reportedly carried the object toward a nearby borehole.
The priest in charge, however, became suspicious and immediately warned those present to keep their distance, suspecting the object could be an explosive device. He promptly alerted a nearby military unit, leading to the swift deployment of soldiers who secured the scene and evacuated the object.
An eyewitness explained that the discovery occurred amid ongoing road expansion works in the area by the Abia State Government.
“The road which divides the church building and the parsonage is being expanded by the state government. The church decided to remove the old fence and build a new one to make way for the expansion. It was while digging for the new fence that they brought out the metal object. The pastor later invited soldiers who evacuated it,” the source said.
Residents and sympathizers who gathered at the scene expressed gratitude for the timely intervention, noting that the area is typically crowded with traders and passersby. They added that no fewer than 100 lives, as well as nearby buildings, could have been lost had the object detonated.
Providing an official update, the Commanding Officer of the 144 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State, under the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, confirmed the incident to our correspondence.
According to the military, preliminary findings revealed that the object was an empty casing of a 36 Energa grenade, which was unearthed during the digging of a house foundation near the church premises. The old casing is suspected to have been fired during the Nigerian Civil War era and had remained buried in the soil for decades.
The Army further disclosed that the item posed no immediate explosive threat, but was recovered and taken away for proper documentation and investigation.
Confirming the incident earlier, the Secretary of the Aba Area Conference of the United Evangelical Church, Rev. Thompson Ikpeoha, said he was yet to receive a full briefing from the priest in charge of the Ehere/Umuola Church at the time of contact.
ABN TV learned from senior military sources that Army Headquarters has taken over the investigation to ensure a comprehensive assessment and to prevent similar scares in the future.
ABN TV will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.
