A man suspected to be a suicide bomber lost his life on Monday when an improvised explosive device (IED) he was carrying detonated during an attempted intrusion into the Mogadishu Cantonment—commonly known as Abacha Barracks in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Military sources revealed that the incident occurred around 2:14 p.m. beneath the pedestrian bridge close to the barracks, near a regular drop-off point where commuters typically board tricycles into the facility.
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One source recounted that the suspect emerged from a Volkswagen Golf vehicle and made his way toward a military checkpoint. His unusual behavior reportedly caught the attention of a military police officer on duty, who intervened and asked him to step back for identification.
The source stated, “An unidentified individual with planted IED made attempted to infiltrate into Mogadishu Cant after dropping from a vehicle around Mogadishu Cantonment under the pedestal bridge. When his movement become suspicious, he was stopped by the military police on duty who asked him to shift back for proper identification and only for him to move few meters away and the IED he was carrying exploded killing himself and injured two others.”
However, a brief statement posted on the Nigerian Army’s official X (formerly Twitter) account read: “Explosion At Bus Stop Opposite Mogadishu Cantonment Abuja. Situation Under Control. Details Later.”
Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, also confirmed the explosion, stating that it occurred along the Mararaba-Nyanya expressway in Abuja.In an official statement, Adeh said the blast took place around 2:50 p.m., prompting the immediate deployment of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit to the site.
“One male victim was rescued at the scene and promptly taken to the hospital, where he is currently receiving medical attention,” she said.
Adeh added that the area was swiftly sealed off to allow for safety checks and forensic investigation to ascertain the source and nature of the explosion.
She further assured that law enforcement authorities had commenced a full-scale investigation and called on residents to remain calm but alert.
The police encouraged the public to report any unusual behavior or suspicious activity to the nearest police station or through the following emergency contact numbers: 08032003913, 08028940883, and 07057337653.
No sstatement from the Nigerian Army yet.
 he was carrying detonated during an attempted intrusion into the Mogadishu Cantonment—commonly known as Abacha Barracks in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. A man suspected to be a suicide bomber lost his life on Monday when an improvised explosive device (IED) he was carrying detonated during an attempted intrusion into the Mogadishu Cantonment—commonly known as Abacha Barracks—in Abuja.){kind=link}