When explosion in Udi heightened fear of Boko Haram

Residents of Amokwe in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State are still unsettled since the explosion which occurred at the country home of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, Mr. Tony Emeka Eze. The residents were thrown into panic as they thought the explosion came from a bomb activated by Boko Haram insurgents.

Indeed, the apprehension was heightened by the initial difficulty in establishing the cause of the explosion as well as the location. But it has since been established that it was caused by dynamites used in breaking rocks packed in one of the rooms of Mr Eze’s house.

The explosion which occurred at about 5pm destroyed Mr Eze’s house and so many other nearby houses.

An eye witness, Michael Chinedu from Amaokwe Udi: “Mr. Emeke Eze recently offloaded 40 containers of dynamites which he packed in his house. And you know those dynamites are not supposed to be kept close to fire. There has not been light(electricity) for the past one month.

Unfortunately, PHCN suddenly brought light and took it within few minutes. And before we knew what was happening, the dynamites exploded and burnt the whole house, including his brothers house and 25 other buildings within that area. Some people were badly wounded but we thank God, nobody died during the incident.”

Another eye witness, Miss Nkechi Eze from Umuaga Udi, said that she was at home with her mother and their visitors when they were jolted by the loud, bomb-like explosion. Immediately their hearts flipped as they thought it was from Boko Haram insurgents. ‘’We nearly had heart attacks as we thought that terrorists had invaded our village.

We panicked and started running about in confusion. Our fear was allayed when my cousin came home with a bike and told us what was happening. On getting to the scene of the explosion, we found that the affected buildings had been reduced to ashes and those wounded or burnt by the resulting fire had been taken to the hospital for treatment,” she narrated.

While confirming the incident, the Police spokesman in Enugu State, Ebere Amaraizu, said: “The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force through its operatives have commenced a full scale investigation into an incident of explosion at Amokwe Udi in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State on Monday by 5pm with a view to finding out the possible cause of the sudden explosion.

“It was, however, gathered that some of the injured have been taken to the hospital just as men of the Explosive Ordinance Department of the Enugu State Command have cordoned off the place with other operatives.

“Meanwhile, instant analysis of the incident by the operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Department on ground at the scene of the explosion revealed that it was occasioned by high calibre pyrotechnics (fireworks) in a large quantity packed in the house of the owner the house where the explosion occurred.”