BY JIMITOTA   ONOYUME & EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

An explosion rocked the Rivers State High Court, Ahoda, premises, in the early hours of yesterday, though no casualty was recorded in the blast. The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, building was partially affected in the incident.

The court was to have heard the application by the factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi,  for the vacation of an interim order granted by the court, restraining him from parading himself as Speaker.

A second blast, was, averted, following the intervention of the bomb squad of the Police, which isolated the second device, concealed in a black cellophane bag.

Meanwhile, a fire incident at another River State High Court, Okehi, yesterday, affected the judge’s office. Some documents and furniture were also destroyed in the fire. When contacted on the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad, said he was aware of the fire, adding that no life was lost.  He said that the Police was investigating the incident.

Ahoada blast

On the Ahoda incident, Muhammad said: “We received a report that an object suspected to be explosive was sighted at the premises of the state High Court, Ahoada. Our anti- bomb squad was dispatched to make it safe. One unexploded improvised explosive device, IED, was recovered and rendered safe while traces of an exploded IED were identified.

“At the end of the operation, it was established that two IEDs were thrown into the premises from outside. The two were initiated, but one went off while the other failed to go off due to technical error. The exploded IED caused a minor damage to court building. Neither death nor injury was recorded. Considering the strength of the materials used in making the devices, they were very weak and couldn’t have caused severe harm.

“Investigation into the incident has commenced with a view to apprehending the perpetrators.” he added.