An unattended bag at the Hajj and cargo areas of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos caused a bomb scare yesterday.
It was learnt that a neatly packed bag was dumped at an area of the terminal being used for the ongoing Hajj operations.
Sources said the bag has been at the terminal since Monday, triggering apprehension by some workers who alerted the Bomb Disposal Unit at the airport.
However, the anti- bomb officials discovered that the bag contained booklets left over by the Lagos State Pilgrims and Welfare Board.
The booklets containing Hajj and Umrah guide were donated to the pilgrims by the former Governor and APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also confirmed the development, refuting the isinuation that it was bomb scare.
Spokesperson of the agency, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said, “At 9:30am, an unattended bag was noticed at the Hajj and Cargo terminal, after the departure of the 4th flight for the intending pilgrims. The Chief Security Officer of the Federal Airports Authority, Hajj and Cargo Terminal as well as the Bomb Disposal Unit were contacted and they began the process of finding out the owner and the content of the bag. “No one claimed ownership of the bag, so the decision to blow up the bag using an explosive device was made, which in turn caused some panic amongst the second batch of intending pilgrims waiting. After detonation, it was discovered that the bag contained some copies of an Islamic guide,” the spokesperson said.
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