By Kolawole Ojebisi
Residents of the city of Jos in the North Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria overwhelmed by panic on Tuesday morning as a powerful explosion shook the city to its foundation with its resultant impact sending shockwaves to neighbouring towns.
It was gathered that the blast occured around 10:30am near the densely populated Terminus market area of the city.
People were reported to be running helter skelter in a bid to scamper to safety, a development said to have worsened the chaotic atmosphere of the Terminus market area.
The New Diplomat gathered that the blast occured at 10:30am. Initial reports indicate that several people were injured in the blast, with some sources suggesting there may have been fatalities.
The extent of the damage remains unclear, but witnesses described scenes of destruction and chaos.
Emergency services, including the police, fire department, and ambulance teams, reportedly rushed to the scene to provide assistance.
The Plateau State Police Command has yet to make a public statement on the incident.Attempts to reach the Command’s spokesman, Alabo Alfred, were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off.
The New Diplomat gathered that the area of the explosion has been cordoned off to prevent a spillover of the chaos.
Reports said Police have begun investigation into the blast. The incident has, however, heightened security concerns in Jos, which has experienced periodic violence and unrest in recent years, with residents calling on authorities to increase security measures in the area.
