Confusion gripped residents of Obollo, Isiala Mbano local council area of Imo State, following the startling discovery of a huge bomb near the Umudo village hall.
It was gathered that the un-exploded bomb was found less than 24 hours to a scheduled concelebrated sung mass billed for the village by the Parish Priest of Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Obollo, Rev. Fr. Charles Ohuabunwa.
The village head of the community, Patrick Osuji, confirmed the development. He said the bomb was discovered at about 3pm when an old man was trying to clean up the hall and its surroundings ahead of the Eucharistic celebration. Adding that the police were invited.
The area’s Divisional Police Officer, I. M. Anaforom, said that anti-bomb specialists were deployed to the community and succeeded in detonating the explosive safely.
“We rushed to the scene, assessed the situation, cordoned off the area and alerted the appropriate authorities,” he said. “That was how the bomb disposal unit of the State Police Command was called in to detonate the bomb.”
Anaforom said the bomb was a conventional foreign-made explosive and not an improvised explosive device, adding that investigations have commenced into the matter. He appealed to the frightened residents to return to their homes and report any further suspicious objects to the police.