Explosion shatters shopping complex in Abuja

An evening explosion yesterday disrupted social and economic activities at Karu, a suburb  in Abuja.

The explosion shattered the glass windows of major shopping complexes within the vicinity.

At the time of filing this story, TON could not confirm whether there was any casualty.
An eye witnesses said the windows of popular Karu Shopping Plaza, which also houses a major Mr. Biggs eatery and another nearby plaza, were shattered by the explosion.

Reacting to the incidence, the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, CP Femi Ogunbayode, who confirmed the explosion, said that it was caused by a faulty gas cylinder kept behind the Mr. Biggs section of the plaza.


The commissioner of police, who spoke through the command’s spokesperson, DSP Altine Daniel, said; “I have just spoken to the Karu DPO and he said it was a gas cylinder which exploded behind Mr. Biggs in the plaza, nobody was injured and nobody was killed”.

Meanwhile an eye-witnesses, who would not want his name in print, said the explosion came from the top floor of the plaza and shattered most of the glass windows in the top floor of the complex.

The explosion was said to have caused pandemonium around the vicinity of the two complexes as holiday makers, who thronged the complexes to have some fun, scampered for safety.

The eyewitnesses also disclosed that there was fear that another explosion might go off in the vicinity.

Police officers drafted from the Karu Police Division were said to have arrived the scene and cordoned off the entire place and immediately diverted vehicular and human movement from the area following fears that another explosion may go off.

It would be recalled that similar explosion occurred in December 2012 at Sun City and the cause of the explosion was attributed to faulty gas cylinder.

Perhaps, this has raised fears that gas cylinders may not be safe in public places.