CP dismisses speculations of bomb explosion at Kairo market fire in Lagos

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, on Friday dismissed speculations that the Kairo market fire incident in Oshodi, Lagos, which occurred on Thursday, was caused by a bomb explosion.

CP Odumosu during an on-the-spot assessment of the damages at the market on Friday, warned that people should desist from making inflammatory statements which could set the country on fire.

The CP noted that the Explosive Ordnance Department (EOD) of the State Police Command, has not discovered any bomb at the scene of the incident, adding that, therefore, the fire could not have been caused by a bomb explosion.

Odumosu had declared: “We have seen what happened and we give God the glory no lives were lost. No matter the values of things that were lost, it cannot be compared with lives. We also thank God that the portion that got burnt is not more than the area not burnt.

“Since it started, I have deployed my men and they have been on ground. My coming is to have a physical assessment of what happened. We are to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order here.

“The rumour going round that it was a bomb should be dismissed. The tension is already high in the country and we should not make inflammatory statements. That’s why I am here with my technical team, the bomb experts in the police and they have gone round and no proof the fire was caused by a bomb. It has been ruled out that there was a bomb explosion here. No bomb was found here. So, people should allow the fire service and the police to conduct their investigation and when the report from their laboratory comes out, we will make a statement.”

He appealed to those who lost their goods to the fire, adding that efforts are being made to involve the state government to come to their aid.

“We only appeal to the people to control their annoyance and emotion. Whoever is aggrieved, we are appealing to them not to take it too far because we are not going to allow breakdown of law and order. We are deploying our men here both in mufti and uniform. We are up to the task and the chairman will seek palliatives from the governor for those affected. We keep appealing to the people to be patient. The chairman will take it up politically while I take it up security wise,” Odumosu stated.

Chairman of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, Hon. Bolaji Ariyo, appealed to the victims to allow the police to conclude their investigations. He said he was having a closed door meeting with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu when he heard of the fire outbreak at the Market.

“By the time I heard about the news I was in a closed door with the governor. We need to give glory to almighty Allah for saving what is on ground. Looking at the live video when the fire was raging, if anyone had told me there would be a block still standing, I would not have believed.

“We want to thank the fire service for coming out promptly and they were able to rescue this place. We know fire can always occur and we have the Commissioner of Police.  I have been on the phone with him since yesterday and he is here.

“We believe an investigation is going to be carried out to identify the cause of the fire. Our people are really in pain. From what I heard, many in the market collected money from micro finance banks to do business because Ramadan is coming to an end. When a festival is coming like this, a lot of business goes on. A lot of them are engaged with banks and it is only God that can comfort them. I really feel sorry for them, but I pray God will come to their needs,” the LG Chairman had said.