THE IKEJA BOMB BLAST.
27th Jan 2002,on a cool Sunday evening after so many Christian faithful had just returned from their respective worship places.
As usual Oshodi was as crowded as it always had been and life went on with so much
frenzy. It was the normal Lagos Life, the one with a fine blend of Chaos and Peace.
If many had known that evening would have been their last they would have fled out of the city two nights prior.
At about 4pm on that Black Sunday Bombs and other explosives were mistakenly set off in the armoury section of the Ikeja Military cantonment.
A terrifying sound was heard across the Baracks and it’s neighboring environment and the sound was heard repeatedly for a total of 7 times.
With every sound that went off,the cloud became darker and people ran out of their houses in fear.
Although the explosion was caused by negligence bin the military cantonment, people thought it was the end of the World.
An event that separated mother’s from their daughters and siblings from their parents. Out
of fear people ran out of their houses looking for the safest area within.
A lot of people jumped into the large canal that links the Oke Afa area of Isolo at Ajao
Estate. The canal had a deceptive look as the water hyacinth made people believe they could easily swim across but unfortunately, hundreds of lives were lost at that canal.
Over 1000 bodies were recovered from that canal alone and other hundreds spread across
the locations surrounding the military cantonment, people were injured and displaced but
an unbelievable amount of people remain missing till date.
Although it’s been over two decades now, the pain from that day can still be seen and felt
when the tales of this horrible event is being told by eyewitness and victims.
