Confusion in Delta over bomb scare

Confusion enveloped the Delta State Cabinet Office, Asaba, where the office of the state’s Head of Service is located on Tuesday after the discovery of a package suspected to be a bomb.

Workers at the office, who got wind of the development were only able to enter the premises at about 10am. Some, however, returned to their homes.

The object suspected to be an Improvised Explosives Device was discovered at the gate of the complex by a sanitation worker identified as Caroline Iseh.

It was covered with a red cloth and had a stop watch fastened to it.

Iseh was said to have alerted the security men in the complex, who in turn informed some of the senior members of the staff of the office, who had reported for work.

The senior members of staff were said to have called for the intervention of the police and their anti-bomb squad.

The police, on arrival, combed the area and later removed the object for possible inspection.

Addressing newsmen along with Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan at the Government House, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, said the device was not a bomb, adding that it was only planted there by mischief makers whose interest was to scare people.

Aduba took the device to the Government House in company with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police zone V, Alhaji Hashimu Arugungu, whose visit to the state coincided with the development.

He said the device contained gun powder in one of its compartment. He added that the stop watch was not functional.

“It is a scare and there is no way this can explode,” he said.

Uduaghan said it was an act of mischief makers, adding that it was a ploy to distract the government.

The governor said, “But we need to strengthen our intelligence gathering efforts.

“I want to use this opportunity to urge members of the public to report to security experts if they see any strange objects around their environment.”

Uduaghan added that the government and the security agencies in particular were on the alert to ensure that criminal-minded persons did not capitalise on the development to cause havoc in the state.