Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday, disclosed that 2,055 unexploded explosive ordnances were recovered from the 2002 bomb blast site in the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, at the end of its clearance operation, tagged ‘Exercise Clean Sweep.’
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the exercise at the Nigerian Army Cantonment, the COAS explained that no casualty was recorded during the exercise.
Lagbaja, who was represented by the Commander of the Engineer Corps, Maj. Gen. Philip Eromonsele said: “Exactly 57 days ago, I flagged off this exercise to clear remnants of unexploded ordnances from the site of the January 28, 2002, Ikeja Cantonment Bomb Blast.
“Before now, the contaminated site has been a no-go area for inhabitants of the cantonment and its environs as the Unexploded Explosive Ordnance therein posed a grave safety and security threat.
“The blast’s epicentre, measuring 155,275 Square Meters, is now safe and secured for immediate productive development.”
He attributed the success of the exercise to the deployment of “the most sophisticated Explosive Ordnance Disposal technologies and techniques available today in the market.
“The best Nigerian Army personnel in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Ammunition Technical Experts from Nigerian Army Engineers and the Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps were also employed.”
Earlier in his remarks, the acting director, the Directorate of Engineer Search and Disposal, Colonel A.O Kazeem, explained that the Exercise Clean Sweep was conducted in four phases adding that each phase was executed with precision and utmost professionalism.
