THE Imo State Police Command has confirmed the death of two suspected scrap metal scavengers following an explosion inside a drainage channel along Old Nekede Road in Owerri West Local Government Area.
According to the police, the incident occurred at about 9:15 p.m. yesterday near a large drainage opposite Lakeside Hotel.
Security operatives, including the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, were immediately deployed to the scene to secure the area and conduct safety checks.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, said preliminary investigations identified the victims as 32-year-old Hyginus Akalonu from Umulumu in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State and 22-year-old Victor Egwu from Agba in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The police said the two men, believed to be scrap metal scavengers, were inside the drainage channel when the explosion occurred.
They sustained severe burns and were rushed to the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Owerri, where they later died while receiving treatment.
The command disclosed that its Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit has begun a full investigation to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the explosion.
Authorities said further information would be made available as the investigation progresses.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, assured residents that the situation was under control and urged the public not to panic, noting that the affected area had been secured.
He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious objects or unusual activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency response channels.
The police said investigations remain ongoing as authorities work to establish what triggered the explosion.
