The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that a failed suicide bombing attempt was the cause of an explosion near the Mogadishu Army Barracks in Abuja on Monday afternoon.
According to NEMA’s report released the following day, the attacker tried to gain access to the military facility located along the busy Mararaba-Nyanya expressway while wearing an improvised explosive device (IED).
The explosive went off before the attacker could reach the target, killing the bomber on the spot. A civilian, who happened to be nearby when the device detonated, sustained injuries and was taken to the National Hospital in Abuja for medical care by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from the Nigeria Police Force. Went
The incident occurred at about 1:47 pm and triggered immediate responses from multiple security and emergency agencies. Officials from NEMA, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were all present at the scene shortly after the explosion.
NEMA noted that the bomber was trying to enter the army barracks without authorisation when the IED exploded. The agency added that a detailed forensic investigation is ongoing to understand the full details of the event and possibly identify any accomplices or connections the bomber might have had.
A joint operation at the site was carried out for several hours, with officials sweeping the area to ensure there were no additional threats. The operation officially concluded at 5:29 pm.
Earlier, both the Nigerian Army and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command confirmed the blast, noting that initial findings point toward a lone suicide bomber.
