A yet-to-be-identified scavenger lost his life in a grenade explosion at a scrapyard in Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos State, on Thursday, while three others sustained serious injuries.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the explosion occurred when some scavengers attempted to dismantle a grenade found among metal scraps.
The device detonated during the process, killing one person instantly and injuring others.
According to the PUNCH, a resident, Akin Olawale, described the moment of the blast, saying panic spread through the neighborhood as people scrambled for safety.
“A loud explosion was heard around past 12 pm, and the police were immediately contacted because no one could ascertain the cause. It was later when the police arrived that we discovered that it was a grenade. The scavengers were trying to cut one of them open when it detonated,” Olawale said.
Security operatives responding to the scene discovered two undetonated grenades, raising further concerns among residents.
Another resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, recounted how the injured were rushed to the hospital.
“We saw a vehicle moving some injured persons to the hospital, and that was when we knew what happened. Those people we saw were terribly injured. It was when the vehicle stopped by a filling station that we saw them. The driver could not even wait because of the queue,” he said.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, explaining that the explosion was caused by a military-grade grenade.
“One person was killed, and three were hospitalized. The incident happened at about 1:30 pm, and the Explosive and Ordnance Department has rendered the place safe. The scene has also been cordoned off. There is zero possibility of another explosion, and an investigation has commenced,” Hundeyin stated.
He assured residents that the situation is under control, and authorities are working to determine how the grenades ended up in the scrapyard.
