Two soldiers die in Jos barracks blast

Two soldiers were killed and another injured when a blast occurred at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, 3 Armoured Division, Rukuba Barracks, Jos, Plateau State on Saturday. Another soldier was said to have sustained injuries. The blast, which occurred around 10.45am, was said to have been caused by the destruction of old explosives in an old ammunition armoury. Some soldiers were said to be clearing the stock when some of the explosives went off. The blasts, which were heard many kilometres away created panic in Jos and Bukuru metropolis as rumours went round that the barracks was under attacks by some insurgents. Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Texas Chukwu, who confirmed the development, said there was no iota of truth in the insinuation that the barracks was under attack. According to him, the explosions occurred during an on-going demolition exercise, which started on Wednesday. Chukwu, in a statement, in Jos on Saturday, said, “The attention of 3 Division headquarters at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos, was this morning drawn to the news making the rounds in some media houses that a bomb exploded at the cantonment as a result of handiwork of insurgents. “I want to use this medium therefore to state that this cantonment was not under attack or attacked by insurgents. There is an on-going demolition exercise which started on Wednesday, April 20 and to terminate on May 4. The public was informed in the media. The explosion heard in the cantonment was from an accident that occurred while the troops authorised to destroy unserviceable ammunition were transporting the ammunition. “Some of the unserviceable ammunition exploded in the process of being moved to the demolition site. The explosions did not affect the cantonment or the neighbouring communities. Unfortunately two soldiers lost their lives and one sustained injury,” he added. Chukwu said normalcy had been restored to the area.