A potentially devastating incident was avoided in Aba, Abia State, after soldiers evacuated a suspected unexploded bomb discovered within the premises of the United Evangelical Church, Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill.
The object was reportedly uncovered during excavation work for fence reconstruction around the church’s parsonage. The renovation followed ongoing state government road expansion works separating the church auditorium from the parsonage.
According to eyewitness accounts, church members encountered the heavy metal object while digging the foundation for a new fence. Unaware of its nature, one of the workers reportedly moved it closer to a nearby borehole before the priest in charge suspected it could be an explosive device and immediately warned people to keep away.
The priest subsequently contacted a military unit in Aba, prompting soldiers to arrive quickly, secure the area, and safely remove the object from the premises.
“The road which divides the church building and the parsonage is being expanded by the state government, so the church started rebuilding the fence. It was during the digging that the object was discovered. Nobody initially knew it was a bomb until the pastor alerted soldiers who later evacuated it.” An eyewitness explained.
Residents and traders around the area expressed relief after the evacuation, noting that the church environment is usually busy and that any explosion could have led to massive casualties and property damage.
Secretary of the Aba Area Conference of the United Evangelical Church,Thompson Ikpeoha, confirmed the development but noted that he was still awaiting a detailed report from the parish priest overseeing the branch where the discovery occurred.
Although attempts to reach military authorities for official comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, a senior officer in Aba confirmed that military authorities have commenced investigations to determine the origin and nature of the device.
The incident has raised fresh concerns among residents over the possibility of buried explosive remnants in parts of the city, while authorities continue investigations into the discovery.