A group of unknown gunmen stormed Borokiri in Port Harcourt and threw explosives to disrupt the ongoing carnival in Rivers State.
Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums drove into the area in two Fannagon buses and threw dynamites in different directions, scaring people away in the process. An eyewitness told our correspondent that the incident, which made many people who had come to witness the carnival to scamper for safety, occurred at about 9a.m. in the morning. The deafening sound of explosives and gunshots, however, attracted the attention of security agents, who quickly dashed to the point to bring the situation under control.
It was also learnt that the incident caused a lot of commotion in Borokiri and its environs as motorists were forced to make a U-turn in order to escape being hit by some of the explosives. Some members of the public, who discussed in hush tones when our correspondent visited the area, blamed the commotion on militants, whose aim was to disrupt the annual carnival.
The carnival, however, continued under the watchful eyes of security personnel. When contacted, the State Joint Task Force spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the incident on the telephone. Musa said, “We heard the explosion of dynamites this morning and went straight to ascertain what it was all about. My men later noticed that some criminals had stormed an area in Port Harcourt. They threw some dynamites just to attract the attention of security agents. The hoodlums ran away when my men got there.”