Panic was averted in Aba, Abia State, after a suspected explosive device was discovered at the United Evangelical Church (UEC), Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill, during renovation work at the church parsonage.
Eyewitnesses said church members were digging around the fence area of the parsonage to erect a new fence when they uncovered a large metal object buried underground.
According to sources, one of the workers reportedly carried the object to a nearby borehole, unaware of its nature, before the priest in charge became suspicious and immediately warned everyone to stay away from it.
The priest was said to have promptly alerted a nearby military unit, leading to the deployment of soldiers who secured the area and evacuated the suspected bomb from the premises.
An eyewitness explained that the fence removal was necessitated by an ongoing road expansion project by the Abia State Government.
“The road separating the church building from the parsonage is being expanded. The church decided to pull down the old fence and build a new one. It was during the digging that the metal object was found. The pastor later invited soldiers who evacuated it,” the eyewitness said.
Residents and sympathisers who gathered at the scene expressed gratitude that the object did not detonate, noting that the area is usually busy with traders and passersby. They said an explosion could have resulted in heavy casualties and destruction of nearby buildings.
Confirming the incident, the Secretary of the Aba Area Conference of the United Evangelical Church, Rev. Thompson Ikpeoha, said he was aware of the development but had not yet received a full briefing from the priest in charge of the Ehere/Umuola congregation.
Attempts to reach the Army Public Relations Officer of the 14 Brigade in Ohafia were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
However, a senior military officer in Aba confirmed the incident and disclosed that the Army Headquarters has taken over investigations into the origin and nature of the suspected explosive device.
